The Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection (SIII) is a research institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is determined to serve global public health and is an important force active in the field of global infectious disease prevention and control. Transformational research is an important base for gathering international, high-end talent.
The Unit of Statistical Genetics of Bacteria develops new methods for analyzing large scale genomic datasets. We aim to understand the causes and consequences of genetic variation in highly recombining bacterial species from historical, functional, medical, ecological, and evolutionary perspectives. Prof. Falush graduated from University of Cambridge and University College London, and has worked at the University of Tokyo, the Max Planck Institute (Germany), and the University of Oxford. Since 2019, he has been a group leader in Shanghai. He has published more than 80 papers in high-impact journals (Science, Nature, PLoS Genetics, Elife) and has been awarded, for example, the Hundred Talents Program Fund of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and an NSFC Senior Foreign Talent grant.
The Unit of Statistical Genetics of Bacteria (PI: Prof. Dr. Daniel Falush) is recruiting one postdoctoral fellow for an interdisciplinary project at the intersection of bacterial population biology/genomics and molecular biology. We have identified novel "ecospecies" in the human pathogens Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Cui et al. 2020 eLife) and Helicobacter pylori (Tourette et al. 2023 https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.04.28.538659) using cutting edge genomics analysis and genome databases of unprecedented scale. The ecospecies are defined by sets of co-evolving genes that we hypothesize generate strategies for niche adaptation. We are studying these ecospecies in the lab using transcriptomics, large-scale phenotyping, and molecular biology to characterize these strategies.
Our work in Vibrio has already revealed an ecospecies with strikingly different motility from other strains, in line with the function of co-adapted genes. We are now initiating similar studies with an ancient H. pylori ecospecies that we recently discovered, primarily found in Indigenous human populations and animal adapted lineages, which we hypothesize is adapted to host diet. The recruited postdoctoral fellow to spearhead this project in the lab.
[Recruitment position]
Postdoctorate: (No. DF-P-01) 1 person
Work content:
1. Generation of RNA-seq transcriptome compendia encompassing diverse H. pylori isolates and conditions, analysis of differential gene expression/co-expression, and network analysis using established protocols;
2. Large-scale phenotypic assays of H. pylori ecospecies isolates (phenotypic microarrays, microscopy, motility, cell interactions);
3. Dissection of molecular mechanism using genetic manipulation of strains;
4. Assist the project leader to complete other scientific research related work.
Application conditions:
1. Possess a doctoral degree in biomedicine such as microbiology, biotechnology, or molecular biology, and be under the age of 35;
2. Those with experimental background in RNA-seq as well as associated data analysis approaches or with a background in bioinformatics are preferred;
3. Good English reading and writing skills;
4. Be honest, rigorous and down-to-earth, with strong independent working ability, sense of responsibility and teamwork spirit.
[Salary package and career development]
1. Provide competitive salaries and pay five insurances and two funds;
2. Support for postdoctoral personnel Apply for the national "Postdoctoral Innovative Talent Support Program", the "Special Research Assistant Funding Project" of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the "China Postdoctoral Science Foundation", Shanghai "Super Postdoctoral" and various national and Shanghai science and technology projects, postdoctoral funding More than 10 projects and various youth talent projects;
3. For postdoctoral fellows and assistant researchers included in the management of "Special Research Assistant Posts of the Chinese Academy of Sciences" , they will be promoted to deputy senior after leaving the station or staying at the end of the project;
4. Postdoctoral fellows will settle in Shanghai as soon as they enter the station, and postdoctoral fellows, spouses, and children who stay in Shanghai after leaving the station can move and settle in Shanghai.
[How to apply]
Please send the following application materials in PDF to daniel.falush@siii.cas.cn, hrips@siii.cas.cn emails at the same time, please indicate "Statistical Genetics of Bacteria** position (job number) in the subject of the email ***)". After passing the preliminary examination, the applicants will be notified for an interview and will be hired based on merit.
1. CV;
2. Self-recommendation letter, 2 recommendation letters, one of which should be form the candidate’s doctoral advisor;
3. Scanned copy of degree certificate and Chinese ID card or Passport.
