The Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry (CESB) is recruiting a postdoctoral scholar to work on defining lung cancer and immune cell interactions in the tumor microenvironment with the goal of developing immunometabolism-based therapeutic strategies. This will be accomplished by using systems biochemical approaches including stable isotope-resolved metabolomics (SIRM), reverse phase protein profiling, and transcriptomics such as RNAseq. The incumbent should have expertise in 2D and 3D cancer cell, macrophage, and T cell culturing, animal surgery and tumor implantation skills, gene manipulation techniques (e.g. siRNA, shRNA, or CRISPR), quantitative PCR, confocal microscopic imaging, and protein blotting. Knowledge of cancer metabolic and transcriptomic data analysis is also required. The Center maintains a wide variety of analytical equipment, and training in metabolic mass spectrometry is available. Familiarity with fresh human tissue handling is desired but not required. Training will be provided as needed. We offer competitive package commensurate with experience. Interested applicants should contact Dr. Teresa Fan (twmfan@gmail.com) or Andrew Lane (andrew.lane@uky.edu).

The University of Kentucky’s Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry seeks a postdoctoral scientist in mass spectroscopy. The Center is a high technology core resource that serves the needs of researchers in both conventional and stable isotope resolved metabolomics (SIRM), with national and international collaborations and reputation. In addition to serving the at-large scientific community, the Center conducts metabolomics research directly with federal and other grants to its directors. Candidates should have knowledge of metabolomics-oriented mass spectrometry technologies and experimental approaches, preferably with experience in coordinating users of shared analytical facilities.

Our mass spectrometry facilities presently include two Thermo Tribrid Fusion Orbitrap instrument, a Thermo Lumos Orbitrap, with Advion Nanomate direct infusion and Dionex IC, Thermo LTQ 1100 GC-MS, and an Agilent QQQ ICP-MS interfaced to an Iridia laser ablation system.

The incumbent will conduct metabolomics research associated with projects in lung cancer metabolism, which involves very extensive isotope-based data analysis in addition to the expected mass spectrometry skills. Duties will also include helping maintain the instrumentation and associated computer workstations, assist and instruct users on MS analysis, help schedule usage of the instrumentation, direct technical assistants, and assist in manuscript and proposal preparation. The successful candidate will have experience in at least one of the major types of MS instruments, basic MS instrument maintenance and minor repair skills, data system skills preferably with informatics experience, and a PhD in an appropriate discipline. Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience. Please send inquiries, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references to: Dr. Richard Higashi, rick.higashi@uky.edu.