Postdoctoral Fellow - Genetics and Epigenetics of Gastrointestinal Cancers

About City of Hope

City of Hope, an innovative biomedical research, treatment and educational institution with over 6000 employees, is dedicated to the prevention and cure of cancer and other life-threatening diseases and guided by a compassionate, patient-centered philosophy.

Founded in 1913 and headquartered in Duarte, California, City of Hope is a remarkable non-profit institution, where compassion and advanced care go hand-in-hand with excellence in clinical and scientific research. City of Hope is a National Cancer Institute designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation's leading cancer centers that develops and institutes standards of care for cancer treatment.

Position Summary

We currently have multiple Postdoctoral Fellowship positions within the multidisciplinary research team headed by Dr. Ajay Goel, Professor and Chair, Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics and Associate Director of Basic Sciences, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer. Our multidisciplinary research group comprises of basic biologists, gastroenterologists, surgeons, oncologists and bioinformaticians, undertaking a number of collaborative projects involving large international consortia.

Our research is focused on translational research as it relates to genomic and epigenomic characterization of various gastrointestinal cancers (GI) including colorectal, pancreatic and gastric cancers, and some of the key research topics include: 1) Development of circulating DNA/RNA-based liquid biopsy biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and predictive response to various therapies. 2) Study the epigenetic basis of GI cancers (e.g. aberrant DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs. 3) The genetic basis of early-onset and familial/hereditary colorectal cancers. 4) The role of tumor microenvironment, stem cells, immune regulation and identification of novel targeted therapies. 5) The role of extracellular vesicles/exosomes as in cancer pathogenesis and their role as disease biomarkers. Our group performs cutting-edge research in GI oncology, is very productive and publishes in high-impact journals such as Gastroenterology, JNCI, Clinical Cancer Research, Nature Communications, Annals of Surgery etc.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Devise, plan, document and advance basic science and translational projects in the area of precision oncology of gastrointestinal cancers.
• Generate data for grant applications and prepare manuscripts for publication.
• Work in close collaboration with other team members and external collaborators, including presentation of progress internally or externally.
• Train and supervise technical staff.

Basic education, experience and skills required for consideration:

• Recent PhD, MD or MD/PhD, with a strong background and profound knowledge in the field of oncology, cancer biology, immunology or immunotherapy.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced research environment and manage multiple projects and collaborations.
• Previous experience in working with human specimens and development of novel, innovative cancer biomarkers.
• Evidence of scientific rigor and excellence as documented by high-impact peer-reviewed publications.
• Strong team player with excellent communication skills and fluency in English, both spoken and written.
• Commitment to the program for at least two-three years.

Additional Information:

• An opportunity to have the unique possibility to drive research towards a novel cancer therapy at the interface of science and translation to the clinic and publish high-impact journals.
• To apply, please submit your current CV/resume with a cover letter highlighting your research accomplishments, a brief statement explaining how your past research ties in with the goals of our laboratory, and future career plans.
• For more information about the groundbreaking research taking place in the Ajay Goel, PhD lab, please visit www.cityofhope.org/mdet .
• To protect the health of patients and staff and to comply with new State of California mandates, City of Hope staff are required to show proof of full vaccination by September 30, 2021. Compliance is a condition of employment.

City of Hope is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

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• Posting Date: Dec 17, 2021
• Job Field: Research
• Employee Status: Regular
• Shift: Day Job