Summary

A postdoctoral position with competitive salaries is immediately available in the laboratory of Dr. Yi Li, Professor in the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine.  Baylor College of Medicine is a prestigious biomedical research institute in the U.S. and is a founding component of the world’s largest medical center.  It is located in Houston, one of the four largest metropolitan cities in the U.S.  

The Li laboratory primarily investigates the molecular and cellular mechanisms of breast cancer initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance. The Li lab has just developed new rat models of breast cancer that are uniquely suited to study estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. This topic could not be properly studied in mouse models since they either do not develop ER+ mammary tumors or lack proper immune system. The trainee will primarily use these novel models to investigate key questions in ER+ breast cancer that have eluded the scientific community including how ER+ breast cancer progresses to bone and becomes resistant to therapy and how microenvironment including immune cells affects ER+ breast cancer progression and therapeutic response.  The trainee will also use cutting-edge technologies including single cell omics and spatial omics as well as sophisticated in vivo high-resolution imaging to assist their research projects. More information about this lab may be found at https://www.bcm.edu/people/view/yi-li-ph-d-m-s-b-s/b1fc4ac6-ffed-11e2-be68-080027880ca6

Applications should include (1) a cover letter describing past research experience, future research interests, and carrier goals and (2) a curriculum vitae that includes the names and contact information of at three references. The application should be sent to liyi@bcm.edu.

Job Duties

• Prepares and conducts laboratory research experiments.
• Collects, compiles and analyzes data.
• Conducts literature searches and summarizes information in an appropriate format for a particular study.
• Selects, evaluates and applies techniques used in routine research.
• Documents and interprets results of experiments and reports to principal investigators.
• Trains to do animal work and work with CCM.
• Implements statistical models to extract biological meanings from large-scale human cancer multi-omics data (TCGA, CPTAC, etc.) and generate hypotheses for experimental validation.
• Designs and carries out both in vitro and in vivo experiments to investigate the therapeutic targets predicted from bioinformatics approaches and from literature.
• Analyzes data extracted from independently designed/implemented experiments to evaluate the gene functions in tumor progression and therapeutic responses.
• Designs and implements new scientific protocols and procedures for breast cancer research.
• Writes manuscripts and publishes the research data.
• Works with the PI to apply for extramural grants from national agencies or private foundations.
• Engages in collaborations with other biologists and clinicians by presenting data, writing summaries/reports and troubleshooting.

Minimum Qualifications

• MD or Ph.D. in Basic Science, Health Science, or a related field.
• No experience required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Applicants must have a recent PhD in biology, biochemistry, or a related field.
• Previous experience with rodent models and/or molecular biology is preferred but not required.