Post-Doctoral Fellow - Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action university providing access to education and employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, political affiliation, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or disability.

Position Summary:

A post-doctoral position is available immediately to study the regulatory mechanisms of transporters underlying addiction, anxiety, autism, depression, OCD, and other brain disorders. The successful candidate will perform in vivo studies using knock-out and knock-in mice parallel with cell culture and brain tissue studies to investigate the contribution of GPCR-linked regulated transporter in normal behavior and the consequence of dysregulated transporter regulation in brain disorders. Techniques include: cell culture, western blots, trafficking, molecular biology, rodent survival brain surgery, intracranial infusion (pharmacological and genetic-viral reagents), DREADD-mediated manipulations of neuronal activity, microscopy, and several behavioral assays, including drug self-administration, conditioned place preference, memory, fear extinction, depression, and pain-related behaviors.

For additional information and a complete bibliography, refer to the websites:

https://pharmtox.vcu.edu/about/our-team/sammanda-ramamoorthy-phd.html and https://pharmtox.vcu.edu/about/our-team/lankupalle-d-jayanthi-phd.html.

Salary will be competitive based on experience. The applicant is also expected to work during weekends since several behavioral assays need continued attention to laboratory animals. Candidate must be able to analyze data, write publishable manuscripts, and communicate and work effectively with others in collaborative efforts.

Core Responsibilities:

• Experimental plans, conducting experiments based on the hypothesis and goals
• Data analysis and presentation, manuscript preparations
• Animal colony maintenance as needed
• Literature search

Minimum Hiring Standards:

Ph.D. in biotechnology, neuroscience, molecular biology, biological sciences, behavioral pharmacology, or the equivalent with experience in animal studies and cell biology. Verbal and written communication skills in English.

Demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications:

Research experience utilizing rodents for behavioral assays, biochemical and molecular analysis, and rodent surgery.

This is a restricted position with no set end date and continued employment is dependent upon project need, availability of funding, and performance.

ORP Eligible? Yes

The School of Medicine continuously strives for our workplace and learning environment to reflect the demographic and social milieu of the communities we serve. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.