Post-Doctoral Research Fellow – Institute Research

Maine Health Institute for Research

Professional - Nonclinical
Req #: 89636

The Hernandez Laboratory at the Maine Health Institute for Research, Scarborough, ME is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to work on a project to study the effects of developmental excess of thyroid hormones on the sexual differentiation of the brain and sexually dimorphic neurological phenotypes of relevance to neurological conditions.

The Hernandez Lab mostly uses mouse models and its focus lies in elucidating the mechanisms by which thyroid hormone disruptions during development program adult endocrine and brain pathophysiology, as well as the susceptibility of future generations to endocrine conditions (obesity, infertility) and neurobehavioral disorders (autism, schizophrenia, depression, ADHD) via mechanisms of inter- and transgenerational epigenetics.

The Research Fellow will conduct research under the guidance of the Principal Investigator, Arturo Hernandez. The Research Fellow is encouraged to develop and pursue their own scientific ideas and research directions as they may arise from the project. The Fellow is also encouraged to apply for postdoctoral fellowships and career development grants with the guidance, support and mentorship of the Principal Investigator and other Faculty.

The Fellow will have the opportunity to publish in high-impact journals, attend and present at national and international top-tier scientific conferences and contribute to fitting ongoing or new collaborative projects.

• Role of thyroid and sex hormones cross-talk in the developing brain and relevant gene targets
• Impact on sexually dimorphic brain regions and behavioral phenotypes
• Influence of epigenetic dysregulation of thyroid hormone developmental exposure
• Mediatory effects of thyroid hormone receptors and transporters
• Mediatory effects of developmental sex hormones
• Mediatory effects on behavior of particular brain regions, cell types, systems or nuclei

• Perform, with the assistance and support of other lab personnel and the Principal Investigator, a Specific Aim in a recently funded grant concerning the role of developmental thyroid hormones in the sexual differentiation of the brain, as outlined above.
• Publish scientific contributions in journals and present at conferences.
• Mentor junior lab members and undergraduate trainees, providing mentoring in their field of expertise and training in relevant technical approaches
• Work with PI to develop new emerging research directions that may translate into grant applications competitive for grant funding.

• Physiology and action of thyroid hormones or sex hormones
• Neuroendocrinology
• Neurobiology of sexually dimorphic brain regions
• Brain development
• Mouse behavioral tests
• Mouse models of neurological conditions
• Epigenetics
• Technical approaches used in the areas above

Maine Health Institute for Research (MHIR) is committed to providing postdoctoral Research Fellows a robust research training experience within an engaged and inclusive community of scientists. We support the continued research training of postdoctoral fellows who have earned a PhD, MD, or MD/PhD degrees. The goal of our program is to provide a rigorous, mentored research experience that focuses on the design, implementation, and completion of novel research projects.

Research Fellows at MHIR are compensated based on years of experience and are eligible for the generous benefits package provided to Maine Health employees.

Research Fellows participate in a robust training program that includes a seminar series with networking with local and national speakers, and presentation of their own research progress. Responsible Conduct of Research programming is run throughout the year to ensure that Research Fellows are adequately trained. We expect our postdoctoral fellows to present research findings at annual meetings and publish in peer-reviewed journals.

Research Fellows are also encouraged and supported to submit applications for fellowship support or early career grants.

MHIR has an active and engaged Student and Postdoc Association that promotes professional development and a sense of community for students and postdocs. The MHIR Research Training and Education Office supports research trainees in all aspects of their training throughout their time at MHIR, including facilitation of Individual Development Plans, and annual reviews and meetings with MHIR scientific leadership. MHIR is a sustaining member of the National Postdoc Association, providing all of our students and Research Fellows the opportunity to have a free Affiliate Membership, and Research Training and Education Office Staff are members of the Graduate Career Consortium and the American Association of Medical Colleges Group on Research…