Post Doctoral Fellow, Novel Drug Discovery

The Laboratory of Human Retrovirology and Immunoinformatics (LHRI), Clinical Services Program, Applied/ Developmental Directorate, has investigated the mechanism of multiple drug resistance (MDR) in HIV-infected patients using techniques of molecular biology , virology , cellular biology and bioinformatics under a collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)/NIH . Our goal is to develop novel immune therapy for MDR-infected patients who have failed from current available chemotherapies. LHRI has isolated several mutants of novel MDR HIV and characterized drug-resistant profiles and discovered Interleukin-27 and Interferon-lambda1 as novel anti-MDR cytokines, SPTBN1(in macorphages) and YB-1 (in T cells) as host essential factors for virus infection, which are potential novel drug targets, a total of 72 novel micro RNAs (miRNAs) possessing anti-viral/tumor properties and 44 novel long none-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) of unknown function (LncRUF).

KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Laboratory of Human Retrovirology and Immunoinformatics (LHRI) is composed of three (3) sections, Basic, Translational, and Bioinformatics Sections and has been investigating mechanism of drug resistance in HIV+ patients, HIV pathogenesis, function of interleukin-27, Type-III Interferon-mediated innate immune response and characterization of non-coding RNAs (miRNAs and LncRNAs), developing multiple data analysis pipelines for Big Data, analyzing genome-wide association study (GWAS) to support NIAID/NIH and collaborators, and maintaining and upgrading a functional annotation analysis tool, DAVID (the database for annotation, visualization, and integrated discovery) (https://david.ncifcrf.gov/).
Recently, the translational research section has discovered that some of natural non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in HIV genome from drug naive patients significantly enhance or suppress Gag and Gag-Pol precursor assembly and modulate budding in the lentiviral life cycle. The candidate will investigate molecular mechanism of the SNPs-mediated regulation of the viral cycle. In this project, the candidate will utilize multiples techniques of molecular biology, virology and immunology and be involved in structure analysis of viral virions using Cryogenic Electron Microscopy, protein-protein or protein-plasma membrane interaction by FRET assay, recombinant enzymatic analysis including recombinant protein purification with FPLC, protein localization analysis using AMNIS or confocal microscope.

Goals of this study are:
1) to identify the molecular mechanism of the SNPs-mediated modification of HIV pathogenesis and
2) to assess whether the modification of HIV gene can be applied to the lentivirus-mediated gene delivery
3) to define a potential application for translational research in gene editing.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

To be considered for this position, you must minimally meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below:

• Possession of a PhD or MD/PhD degree from an accredited college or university according to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Foreign degrees must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency
• Knowledge of or experience in human immunology, virology, or molecular biology
• Knowledge of or experience with RNA extraction, real-time PCR, western blotting, mammalian cell culture
• Publication of at least one (1) first author paper in a peer review journal
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates with these desired skills will be given preferential consideration:

• Hands-on experience of infectious virus (RNA or DNA virus)
• Experience with BSL2(+) or BSL3 lab work
• Experience cloning genes or cells
• Experience with microscopic image analysis
• Fundamental knowledge of cytokine/growth factor research
• HIV virology

JOB HAZARDS

• This position is subject to working with or have potential for exposure to infectious material,
  requiring medical clearance and immunizations

Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) | Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran (M/F/D/V) | Drug Free Workplace (DFW)