| POSITION TITLE |
Postdoctoral Fellow, Systems Neuroscience |
| DEPARTMENT |
LTRI |
| EMPLOYMENT TYPE |
Temporary, Full-Time |
| HOURS OF WORK |
37.5 hours per week |
| EMPLOYEE GROUP |
Non-Union |
| REPORTS TO |
Principal Investigator |
The Tsukahara lab (https://www.tsukaharalab.org, https://www.lunenfeld.ca/?page=tsukahara-tatsuya) at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute (LTRI) is looking for an enthusiastic postdoctoral fellow to work on the neural basis of experience-dependent flexibility in olfactory coding.
Organization:
The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Sinai Health System, a University of Toronto affiliated research centre, is one of the world's leading centres in biomedical research. With ground-breaking discoveries in research areas such as diabetes, genetic disorders, cancer and women’s and infants’ health, the Institute is committed to excellence in health research and the training of young investigators. Strong partnerships with the clinical programs of Sinai Health System ensure that scientific knowledge is used to promote human health. Your significant contributions will assist in maintaining our momentum in advancing our research.
In addition, Toronto has a strong neuroscience community across multiple institutions including the LTRI, SickKids Research Institute, and Krembil Brain Institute. The lab has access to stellar core facilities for sequencing, proteomics, imaging, flow cytometry, and metabolomics. The LTRI also has one of the best academic mouse facilities in North America.
Position Overview:
We have an open position for a postdoctoral fellow working on the sensory coding in olfactory brain areas across a variety of contexts. Our lab is primarily interested in the impacts of flexible changes in the peripheral sensory codes on the brain, especially neurons in the olfactory bulb and the cortical amygdala. Olfactory bulb receives both direct inputs from the sensory neurons in the nose and feedback inputs from cortex, basal forebrain, etc. Cortical amygdala receives the integrated inputs from the main and accessory systems, which are mainly responsible for detecting volatile (environmental) and non-volatile (social) odors, respectively. By applying cutting edge technologies including in vivo calcium imaging in freely moving mice, computational behavioral analysis, and optogenetic/chemogenetics, our lab aims to characterize:
- molecular heterogeneity and input/output structures in the cortical amygdala
- representation of environmental and social odors in the olfactory bulb and cortical amygdala across environments
- effects of internal states (hunger, stress, etc) and life stages (puberty, pregnancy, lactation, aging, etc) on sensory representation in the olfactory bulb and cortical amygdala across environments
- effects of blocking adaptation in the peripheral sensory neurons on sensory representation and adaptation in the olfactory bulb and cortical amygdala, as well as on behavioral adaptation
We are also interested in coupling in vivo calcium imaging with post-imaging spatial transcriptomics to understand sensory responses in a cell-type specific manner. Furthermore, we plan to explore how gene expression profile and neural activity in the olfactory bulb and the cortical amygdala are affected in autism model mice.
Other potential future projects include:
- examine the influence of sleep state on sensory coding in the olfactory system.
- characterize the output structures of cortical amygdala neurons
It is possible to conceive projects that are not described above through discussion.
Education and skills:
Required
- A doctoral degree in biology related research field (by the start date).
- Experience in behavior experiment, in vivo calcium imaging, and/or computational data analysis (Python, R).
- Strong communication skills through experience of working within a scientific research team and collaboration.
- Ability to think about the projects critically and independently.
Preferred
- Experience in molecular biology including single-cell and spatial transcriptomics.
How to Apply:
Please apply to the job posting at the link above attaching:
- A cover letter explaining expertise and the candidate’s interests to this position
- Curriculum Vitae including education and publication list
- Contact information of three references
For positions in a laboratory environment, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute’s Safety Requirements include:
- Maintain personal certifications as required by Safety Office
- Maintain the lab’s Safety requirements as required by Safety Office
- Maintain current lab-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) - including work with hazardous chemicals and biological agents, hazardous waste disposal, etc.
- Maintain the lab’s chemical Inventory
- Responsible for training the lab members on lab-specific procedures, weekly eye wash checks
In accordance with Institute’s policy and legislated health and safety requirements, employment is conditional upon the verification of credentials, completion of a health review, and demonstrating proof of immunity and vaccination status of vaccine-preventable diseases. All employees and affiliates will follow safe work practices and comply with health and safety policies, procedures, and training. Successful candidates will be required to provide two (2) written reference letters from their former employer(s)/supervisor(s).
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our people and patients, Sinai Health has made it a priority to support everyone in getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Consistent with this, our Staff Immunization & Surveillance Policy was recently updated to include the requirement for full vaccination – currently defined as receiving two doses and serving a 14-day waiting period following the second dose – in order to be able to work at Sinai Health. To be compliant with our updated Policy, you must provide proof of dual COVID-19 vaccination, as indicated on the Prospective Immunization and Surveillance Policy Information Sheet, in order to be eligible for employment at Sinai Health. If you believe you are one of the very few people who may require an exemption from vaccination, supporting medical information must be submitted to our Occupational Health department, who will review and assess.
We are a fully committed to fairness and equity in employment and our recruitment and selection practices. We encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups, members of racialized groups, women and any others who may contribute to the further diversification of our Sinai Health community. Accommodation will be provided in all parts of the hiring process as required under our Access for People with Disabilities policy. Applicants need to make their requirements known in advance.
The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute is a scent sensitive environment, and all members of the community are expected to refrain from wearing or using scented products while visiting or working at the Institute. We also support a barrier-free workplace supported by the Institute’s accessibility plan, accommodation and disability management policies and procedures. Should you require accommodation at any point during the recruitment process, including accessible job postings, please contact the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Human Resources Department.
| Posting open until January 19, 2024. We thank all candidates for applying. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. |
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