Postdoctoral Position: Imaging-Based Studies Of Microbial Community Dynamics

[Raghuveer Parthasarathy]

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/*Postdoctoral Position: Imaging-Based Studies Of Microbial Community
Dynamics*//*
*/
https://pages.uoregon.edu/raghu/Parthasarathy_UO_PostdocAd_Sept2018.html

We invite inquiries for a postdoctoral fellow or research associate
position focused on applying advanced imaging and analysis techniques to
understanding the biophysical dynamics of gut microbial communities. The
position would be based in the Parthasarathy lab [1] at the University
of Oregon and associated with its Microbial Ecology and Theory of
Animals (META) Center [2] and a recently awarded five-year Program
Project grant from the National Institutes of Health. An on-line version
of this post is here
<https://pages.uoregon.edu/raghu/Parthasarathy_UO_PostdocAd_Sept2018.html>.

Every animal is associated with a diverse community of microbes. Though
it is now well appreciated that these microbes contribute significantly
to their hosts’ functions, the mechanisms underlying these interactions
remain unclear. The biophysical characteristics of gut microbial
communities are especially fascinating, as processes of growth,
aggregation, motility, and spatial organization must be important for
multi-species coexistence and competition, but are notoriously difficult
to investigate. Our lab applies light sheet fluorescence microscopy to
larval zebrafish, a model vertebrate, to gain insights into gut
microbial dynamics, obtaining the only large-scale, high-resolution
views of intestinal microbes in any vertebrate to date, and revealing
connections between community structure, population dynamics, and
disease  [e.g. 3-5].

The new researcher will build on local expertise in light sheet
fluorescence microscopy and associated instrumentation, and will design
and implement experiments focused both on the internal dynamics of
zebrafish gut microbial communities, and on the biophysics of
transmission of symbiotic microbes between hosts. He/she will interact
with a vibrant, creative, friendly, and highly interdisciplinary
community of local research groups, with opportunities for co-mentoring
by faculty in Physics, Molecular Biology, Ecology and Evolution, and
Neuroscience. He/she will also be encouraged to develop his/her own
research projects.

Potential candidates must have a Ph.D. from a relevant discipline such
as physics, biophysics, or bioengineering. Expertise in at least one of
the following is strongly preferred: microscopy, microbiology,
instrument design and construction, instrument control, optics,
biological imaging, and image analysis. We welcome researchers
interested in leveraging their background in one field to move into a
new one. The start date is flexible, but preference will be given to
researchers who can begin in early- to mid-2019.

The University of Oregon is located in Eugene, Oregon, an area noted for
its quality of life and natural beauty. Eugene is about two hours’ drive
from Portland, and an hour’s drive from the Pacific Ocean and the
Cascade Mountains.

For more information about this prospective position, including how to
apply, please email Raghuveer Parthasarathy ([hidden email]
<mailto:[hidden email]>) and include (1) a cover letter explaining
your background and career interests (2) a CV, and (3) names and contact
information of three references. The position will remain open until
filled. Women and members of groups underrepresented in science are
encouraged to apply. The University of Oregon is an EO/AA/ADA
institution committed to cultural diversity.

[1] Parthasarathy Lab: https://pages.uoregon.edu/raghu/
[2] META: http://meta.uoregon.edu/
[3] T. J. Wiles, M. Jemielita, et al., /PLOS Biol./ *14,* e1002517 (2016).
[4] S. L. Logan et al., /Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci./ *115,* E3779–E3787 (2018).
[5] B. H. Schlomann, et al., /bioRxiv/, 392316 (2018).

--
*Raghuveer Parthasarathy*
[hidden email]
Group web page: http://physics.uoregon.edu/~raghu/ 
<http://physics.uoregon.edu/%7Eraghu/>
Blog: http://eighteenthelephant.wordpress.com/

Alec and Kay Keith Professor
Professor, Department of Physics
1274 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1274
[phone] -- office