The group of Ashley Laughney at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, is seeking innovative and highly motivated postdoctoral researchers to contribute to our systems biology study of metastasis. The lab combines high-throughput single cell transcriptional profiling with development of new computational tools, combinatorial perturbations and cancer models, to understand the context-dependent interplay between inflammation and stemness during the evolution of metastasis.
The invasion-metastasis cascade is a dynamic, multistep process the requires adaptation to a less hospitable microenvironment, immune evasion, and progression from the micro- to macro-metastatic stage, resulting in generation of a secondary tumor. A key driver of this transition is chronic inflammatory signaling emanating from tumor cells themselves, which can be triggered by the presence of nucleic acids in the cytoplasm. Chronic inflammation engages pathways central to a wound-healing response, which has profound consequences on tumor cell migration (Nature 553, 467-472), lineage plasticity, and tumor-immune interactions (Nature Medicine 26, 259-269). We are especially interested in understanding the impact of chronic inflammatory signaling on bi directional crosstalk between cancer cells and their microenvironment, and how metastases have adapted resistance to this chronic inflammatory signaling without triggering an anti-tumor immune response.
We are a highly inter-disciplinary team recruiting from diverse backgrounds, including both theory and experiment. We are currently seeking candidates with expertise in:
(1) Computational and Systems Biology, Mathematics or Related Field: interested in developing higher order epistasis models and reconstructing cell type-specific gene regulatory networks from single cell data with combinatorial genetic perturbations. Experience with machine learning, combinatorial optimization, or statistical methods and modelling is desired.
(2) Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Regenerative Medicine or Related Field: interested in developing synthetic and systems biology methods to tackle biological questions centered on cell-cell interactions in the tumor microenvironment that regulate tumor differentiation status, emergence from metastatic dormancy, and immune activation/suppression.
Each position is fully funded through a collaborative R01 with the Samuel Bakhoum Lab and builds upon the exceptional resources and community of scientists at three of New York City’s premier research institutions: Weill Cornell Medical College, The Rockefeller University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. We offer competitive benefits and access to subsidized Cornell housing in Manhattan and Roosevelt Island.
Interested applicants should email the following items as a single PDF to LaughneyLabPositions@gmail.com: (1) cover letter indicating research interests and reasons for applying, (2) your curriculum vitae, (3) names and contact information for three references and (4) up to two reprints.
Postdoc applicants should hold a PhD, MD or doctoral level equivalent in a related area and should additionally arrange for three letters of reference to be emailed directly to LaughneyLabPositions@gmail.com on your behalf. Postdoctoral applications will not be reviewed until all letters of reference are received.
Weill Cornell Medicine is a comprehensive academic medical center that's committed to excellence in patient care, scientific discovery, and the education of future physicians in New York City and around the world. Our doctors and scientists-faculty from Weill Cornell Medical College, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and the Weill Cornell Physician Organization-are engaged in world-class clinical care and cutting edge research that connect patients to the latest treatment innovations and prevention strategies. Located in the heart of the Upper East Side's scientific corridor, Weill Cornell Medicine's powerful network of collaborators extends to its parent university Cornell University; to Qatar, where an international campus offers a U.S. medical degree; and to programs in Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Our medical practices serve communities throughout New York City, and our faculty provide comprehensive care at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York-Presbyterian/Lower Manhattan Hospital, and New York Presbyterian/Queens. At Weill Cornell Medicine, we work together to treat each individual, not just their conditions or illnesses, as we strive to deliver the finest possible care for our patients - the center of everything we do. Weill Cornell Medicine is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disabled employer.