Following postdoctoral positions available in a newly renovated immunology laboratory of Dr. Koichi S. Kobayashi to study:
1) The interaction between intestinal microbiota and the mucosal immune system
2) The role of TLR and NLR proteins in the host-pathogen interaction
3) Inflammatory diseases caused by dysregulated NLR function
4) Mechanism of MHC gene activation by NLR protein family
using molecular biology, proteomics and mouse genetics approaches.
The laboratory studies on the innate immunity, with particular emphasis on the function of NLR family proteins. The laboratory discovered the function of Nod2, a Crohn’s disease-associated NLR protein, for the intestinal mucosal immune system (Science 307, 731 (2005), Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106, 15813 (2010)), and succeeded in the development of ileal Crohn’s disease animal model (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107, 14739 (2010)). The laboratory also found another NLR member, NLRC5 is a transcriptional activator of MHC class I genes (CITA), which is a counterpart of CIITA, a master regulator of MHC class II gene (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107, 13794 (2010)). The laboratory is studying on the mechanism of NLRC5-mediated MHC class I gene regulation (Biochem Biophys Res Commun 418, 786 (2012), J Immunol 188, 4951(2012)) and its impact on in vivo immune system using knock out mice (J Immunol 189, 516 (2012)). This is a rapidly progressing research area. Please see our recent review (Nat Rev Immunol 12, 813 (2012)) and lab website for more information: http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/basic-sciences/mmp/faculty/koichi-kobayashi.html; and http://jobs.tamhsc.edu/postings/2477.
The laboratory has recently been relocated to the Texas A&M Health Science Center for further expansion. The laboratory is located in the Reynolds Medical Research building and has access to numerous common equipments in the department and state-of-art core facilities in the Texas A&M Health Science Center and Texas A&M University, including the Texas A&M Institute of Genomic Medicine which holds the world’s largest collection of ES cell library.
Applicants with recent Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D., publications in international journals and a strong background in mucosal immunology or general immunology are encouraged to apply. Experience in immunological research using mouse models is preferable. Expertise in studies of gene regulation using qPCR, CHIP, methylation assay, immunoprecipitation, FACS and/or protein purification is plus. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required.
To apply: Please send curriculum vitae, brief description of previous research accomplishments and names of three references to: Koichi S Kobayashi, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Molecular Microbial and Pathogenesis, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center; e-mail: kobayashi@medicine.tamhsc.edu.