Postdoctoral Scholar - Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmia Research

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This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the termlengthdiscussed willbebasedonuniversityneed,performance,and/oravailabilityoffunding.

Hershey, Pennsylvania

The laboratory of Dr. Mahmud Arif and Dr. Dawood Darbar in the Department of Medicine at Penn State College of Medicine is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Scholar to join a cardiovascular research program focused on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias.

Our research integrates genetically engineered mouse models, cardiac electrophysiology, ion channel biology, and translational cardiovascular research to investigate how genetic variants and environmental risk factors contribute to cardiac arrhythmias and electrical remodeling.

• Mouse models of cardiac arrhythmias/sudden cardiac death
• Isolation and functional characterization of atrial and ventricular cardiomyocytes
• Cardiac electrophysiology and ion channel studies
• Molecular and cellular mechanisms of inherited arrhythmias
• Functional characterization of disease-associated genetic variants
• Development of novel therapeutic strategies for arrhythmia prevention and treatment

• Ph.D. in Biology, Physiology, Pharmacology, Biomedical Sciences, Cardiovascular Sciences, Molecular Biology, or a related field
• Ph.D. completed within the last 1-2 years
• Demonstrated experience working with mouse models
• Expertise in mouse handling, breeding, genotyping, and animal procedures
• Proven experience isolating adult mouse atrial/ventricular cardiomyocytes,
  Langendorff perfusion method preferred.
• Strong publication record, including at least one first-author peer-reviewed publication
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a collaborative research environment

• Experience with whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology
• Experience recording cardiac ionic currents and action potentials in isolated cardiomyocytes
• Knowledge of cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmia mechanisms
• Experience with calcium imaging, optical mapping, or cardiac physiology techniques
• Familiarity with molecular biology techniques, including qPCR, Western blotting, RNA sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis
• Experience analyzing electrophysiological and omics datasets

• Individualized mentoring and career planning
• Opportunities to lead research projects and publish in high-impact journals
• Guidance in developing fellowship applications and career development awards
• Encouragement and support for applying to NIH, AHA, and other external funding mechanisms
• Training in grant writing, scientific communication, and laboratory leadership

Interested applicants should submit:

• Cover letter describing research interests and career goals
• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Contact information for three professional references
• Representative publications

Penn State College of Medicine is committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative research environment and welcomes applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.

For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page. (

Note:

For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page).

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