C260201
Mentor: Dr. Laura Volpicelli-Daley, Department of Neurology
The Volpicelli-Daley lab is seeking an Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s disease postdoctoral scholar in the pathobiology and structural biology of protein aggregation in Parkinson’s disease. This position will provide access to unique networking, career building, and presentation opportunities. There is currently funding in place for three years.
Parkinson’s disease is the most common motor neurodegenerative disorder, and Dementia with Lewy Bodies is the second most common cognitive disorder. PD and DLB are characterized by amyloid aggregates of alpha-synuclein. Recently, the PD and DLB fields have been revolutionized by the development of synuclein amplification assays (SAAs) which can boost generation of alpha-synuclein fibrils from small quantities of fibrils in human biosamples. The goal of this project is to utilize SAA to determine the characteristics of alpha-synuclein fibrils that are responsible for PD clinicopathological phenotypes.
Key responsibilities:
- Express and and purify alpha-synuclein using fast performance liquid chromatography and perform quality controls.
- Perform alpha-synuclein fibril amplification using human biosamples.
- Troubleshoot and optimize alpha-synuclein amplification assays.
- Assist with performing biochemical and biophysical assays to assess alpha-synuclein fibril structure.
- Design experiments in collaboration with Dr. Volpicelli-Daley.
- Collect and store data in an organized manner to yield clear, error-free results that are easily analyzed and shared with the scientific community.
- Maintain e-notebooks on a regular basis so that experiments can be easily replicated by others and data can be easily found.
Requirements/Minimum Qualifications:
- PhD in biomedical science
- Experience with protein purification
- Experience with tissue and cell fractionation techniques
- Evidence of project leadership; able to drive direction of project from hypothesis generation to final publication
- Be able to proactively optimize and troubleshoot experiments using latest techniques
- Should enjoy the challenge of deconstructing an experiment and determining what worked and what failed and rebuilding the experiment to more robustly generate data that will influence the PD field
- Ability to pivot strategies when faced with technical or conceptual hurdles
- Proficient in English language and scientific writing
- Ability to work in collaborative team environment
Desirable qualifications:
- Experience with cell culture
- Willingness to help junior graduate students and technicians
What will be provided by postdoctoral position:
- Birmingham, AL has a relatively low cost of living, minimal commute times, vibrant food scene, and all year round outdoor activities.
- The Killion Center for Neurodegenerative disease and experimental therapeutics (CNET) has 16 faculty who collaborate regularly, with expertise in Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Frontotemporal dementia and other diseases. There is a strong training program to promote success of trainees with professional skills development activities.
- Dr. Volpicelli-Daley has 28 years experience in neurodegenerative disease research including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
- Dr. Volpicelli-Daley is dedicated to ensuring that her trainees achieve their goals for their future careers.
- The lab is a low-micromanagement environment that encourages independent thought.
- Guidance and support will be provided on whether ideas and research directions are worth pursuing.
- Funding to travel to national and international conferences related to project will be provided.
- Funding can be provided to travel to other labs to gain skills in techniques not routinely used in the Volpicelli-Daley.
- Postdocs will be encouraged to pursue their own grant applications such as F32, K99/R00 to facilitate transition to independence.
- The Volpicelli-Daley lab has connections with foundations and industry and can facilitate networking if postdoc is interested in pursuing related careers.
To apply:
Email Dr. Volpicelli-Daley at
- CV
- Contact information for three references
About our Postdoc Office
UAB is committed to the development and success of outstanding postdoctoral scientists. Here at UAB, nearly 300 postdoctoral fellows are training currently in a variety of disciplines. Competitive postdoc awards are available including internships, grant incentives, funds to enhance education and collaboration outside UAB, and teaching opportunities at local universities. There is also a Postdoc Research Day with monetary awards. The Office of Postdoctoral Education strongly encourages UAB research mentors to follow the National Research Service Award stipend level guidelines, and postdoctoral scholars qualify for health, life, and other insurances. They also have the right to participate in the university’s 403(b) program and enjoy vacation, sick leave, maternity/paternity leave, and other benefits.
About the University
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a research university and academic health center that discovers, teaches, and applies knowledge for the intellectual, cultural, social, and economic benefit of Birmingham, the state, and beyond. UAB is internationally renowned for its intensely collaborative culture that has — for more than five decades — produced breakthroughs in education, health care, research, and service. UAB was ranked #1 in the United States, and in the top 10 worldwide, in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2018 Young University Rankings.
Spanning more than 100 city blocks, UAB is the state of Alabama’s largest single employer with nearly 28,000 employees and has an annual, state-wide economic impact of $12.1 billion. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 “America’s Best Graduate Schools” ranks 16 UAB graduate programs among the nation’s top 25 and eight UAB specialties were ranked among the nation’s top 50 in the magazine’s 2022-2023 Best Hospitals report. UAB research grants and awards are at a record high, totaling $715 million in FY22 — a 50% increase over the past five years. UAB ranks 33rd among all universities in federal research funding and 17th among public universities. UAB's NIH funding continues to grow among peer institutions in the Southeast and beyond, with the university ranking 25th among all universities in NIH funding and 11th among public universities.
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