约翰霍普金斯大学神经再生与干细胞博士后招聘

Employer: Department of Neurology, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Website: http://www.hopkins-ice.org/neuro/index.html
Location: Baltimore, MD21205, USA
Type: Postdoctoral Fellow

Position Overview: A postdoctoral fellow position is immediately available in the laboratory of Dr. Han Seok Ko in the NeuroRegeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. There are ample opportunities to interact and collaborate with other scientist at NeuroICE (http://www.hopkins-ice.org/neuro/int/faculty.html ) and the School of Medicine.

Lab introduction: The overarching goal of my scientific work has been to define key molecular pathways in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and to identify novel targets for therapeutic development. Our lab is focused on pathways that are critical for understanding the neurodegenerative process as follows:

1. Mechanisms that initiate and govern the conformational conversion of soluble α-synuclein proteins into insoluble amyloid fibrils.
2. Mechanism that underlies gut to brain transmission of pathological α-synuclein and development of the gut-brain α-synuclein transmission mouse model.
3. The downstream neurotoxic effects of aggregated α-synuclein proteins with emphasis on oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the autophagic / lysosomal degradation system.
4. Defining the role and molecular characteristics of neuroinflammation in PD.
5. How dysfunction of mutated GBA1 leads to PD or how GBA1 becomes dysfunctional in the absence of mutations in sporadic PD.
6. We have been investigating potentially safer and more effective c-Abl inhibitor drug options in mouse models of PD.

Recent articles related with the current projects:

1.Mao X, Ou MT, Karuppagounder SS, Kam TI, Yin X, Xiong Y, Ge P, Umanah GE, Brahmachari S, Shin JH, Kang HC, Zhang J, Xu J, Chen R, Park H, Andrabi SA, Kang SU, Gonçalves RA, Liang Y, Zhang S, Qi C, Lam S, Keiler JA, Tyson J, Kim D, Panicker N, Yun SP, Workman CJ, Vignali DA, Dawson VL*, Ko HS*, Dawson TM*. Pathological α-synuclein transmission initiated by binding lymphocyte-activation gene 3. Science. 2016 Sep 30;353(6307) PubMed PMID: 27708076; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5510615. *Co-Corresponding Author. Recommended by F1000 Prime.

2. Yun SP, Kam TI, Panicker N, Kim SM, Oh Y, Park JS, Kwon SH, Park YJ, Karuppagounder SS, Park H, Kim S, Oh N, Kim N, Lee S, Brahmachari S, Mao X, Lee JH, Kumar M, An D, Kang S, Lee Y, Lee KC, Na DH, Kim DH, Lee SH, Roschke VV, Liddelow SA, Mari Z, Barres BA, Dawson VL, Lee S*, Dawson TM* and Ko HS*. Block of A1 astrocyte conversion by microglia is neuroprotective in models of Parkinson’s disease. Nat Med. 2018 Jun 11. doi: 10.1038/s41591-018-0051-5. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29892066.

3. Kim D, Yoo JM, Hwang H, Lee J, Lee S, Yun SP, Park M, Lee MJ, Choi S, Kwon SH, Lee S Kwon SH, Kim S, Park YJ, Kinoshita M, Lee YH, Shin S, Paik SR, Lee SK, Hong BH*, Ko HS*. Graphene quantum dots prevent α-synucleinopathy in Parkinson’s disease. Nature Nanotechnology (IF 38.9) (Officially accepted on May 23, 2018).

4. Kim S, Yun SP, Lee S, Umanah GE, Bandaru VVR, Yin X, Rhee P, Karuppagounder SS, Kwon SH, Lee H, Mao X, Kim D, Pandey A, Lee G, Dawson VL, Dawson TM, Ko HS. GBA1 deficiency negatively affects physiological α-synuclein tetramers and related multimers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 Jan 23;115(4):798-803. PubMed PMID: 29311330; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5789900.

5. Brahmachari S, Ge P, Lee SH, Kim D, Karuppagounder SS, Kumar M, Mao X, Shin JH, Lee Y, Pletnikova O, Troncoso JC, Dawson VL, Dawson TM, Ko HS. Activation of tyrosine kinase c-Abl contributes to α-synuclein-induced neurodegeneration. J Clin Invest. 2016 Aug 1;126(8):2970-88. doi: 10.1172/JCI85456.PMID: 27348587.

Other publications:
http://1.usa.gov/1TnDcEd

Position Requirements:
1. Highly motivated individuals with a PhD degree in molecular and cell biology and a solid background in neuroscience and protein biochemistry.
2. Work experience with transgenic or knock-out/knock-in mouse models relevant to neurological disorders.
3. Less than one or two year of postdoctoral training are encouraged to apply
4. Verbal and written communication skill in English require.

Salary:
Based on NIH guidelines.
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-18-175.html

Application Process:
Please email the following items to Dr. Hanseok Ko at hko3@jhmi.edu
1. CV including detail technical expertise and PubMed links.
2. Cover letter including brief statement of achievements and research interests,
3. Contact information for three references (Reference letters are not required for an initial inquiry).