An NIH-funded postdoctoral research position is available in Dr. Skinner’s laboratory at the University of Minnesota. The Skinner lab includes a diverse group of students, post-docs, and staff. Our lab is located in the Microbiology Research Facility that is part of the Biodiscovery District in Minneapolis. Our group is focused on the development of novel therapies to treat HIV and prion diseases.

We are looking for individuals to join us in our efforts to cure HIV. We are seeking a highly motivated individual with a passion for research to join our research program. We found that HIV-specific cytotoxic lymphocytes, whose job it is to track down and kill virally infected cells, are largely excluded from lymphoid B cell follicles where HIV producing cells are most concentrated. This suggests that B cell follicles are somewhat of an immune privileged site that allows ongoing viral replication. We are now working to develop a cellular immunotherapy to target HIV-specific CTL to B cell follicles to allow an HIV infected individual's own immune system to control HIV replication in the absence of antiretroviral drugs.

This position provides outstanding opportunities for continued scientific development, and for contributing to highly impactful pioneering translational research.

Job duties:
80% Research: Planning and performance of complex daily and weekly experiments.  This position requires the candidate to have the ability to correctly prepare and execute experiments with little direction from a senior researcher and/or defined protocols. The candidate must have the desire and ability to provide ongoing intellectual contributions to the research program such as exploring new possible approaches to problems or suggesting new interpretation of data. Proper review and adaptation of scientific literature will be required to develop complex scientific procedures and to remain current with continual advances in scientific knowledge. The candidate should have the ability to solve problems with experiments and equipment independently.
Duties may include:  Performing studies utilizing methods such as spatial genomics, RNAscope, confocal and light microscopy, immunohistochemistry; flow cytometry; preparation of retroviral vectors and transduction and expansion of T and NK cells for cell immunotherapy; and animal (mouse) handling.
Duties will also include: summarizing, analyzing and interpreting data, statistical analysis of data, maintaining a scientific notebook, and presenting results at lab meetings and scientific meetings

15% Grant and manuscript preparation.

5%  Assistance with oversight and management of the lab, lab staff, and students. This effort may be increased to train and oversee undergraduate student projects.  Tasks may also include: general laboratory operation and maintenance, IACUC and IBC applications, and laboratory biosafety.

Essential Qualifications:
Advanced degree (Ph.D., DVM, and/or MD) with a strong research background in microbiology, immunology, gene engineering, or biomedical sciences.
Two or more years of postdoctoral research experience

Preferred Qualifications
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Expertise with HIV, immunology, molecular biology, cell biology
Experience with gene engineering, immunotherapy and in vivo models
Experience with RNAScope, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry with methods such as: spatial genomics, RNAScope, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, confocal imaging, gene engineering, retroviral transduction, real-time PCR, DNA sequence analysis and flow cytometry.
Experience working with infectious agents, especially HIV, and animal models.
Ability to independently write manuscripts.
Track record of scientific research success including first author publications

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

Connections working at University of Minnesota Twin Cities