POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE

School of Medicine Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation’s top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,500 faculty physicians and researchers, more than 1,300 students, and more than 6,000 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, Duke University Health System and the Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC) comprise Duke Health. a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

The innate immune system is activated as our initial response to infection and tissue injury. Cells of the innate immune system can recognize pathogens or cell/tissue damage through recognition of molecular patterns not common to a healthy-self and can exploit the specificity of adaptive immunity through interaction with antibodies. This requires interactions between antibody–antigen immune complexes and immunoproteins, such as complement factors or Fc-receptors expressed on the surface of immune effector cells, via the antibody Fc region —combining the potent and rapid anti-disease activities of the innate immune system with the diversity and specificity of the adaptive humoral response.
The Postdoctoral Associate will work to contribute to the achievement of the overarching goal of research performed in the Pollara Laboratory: to understand the contribution of the intersect on of innate and adaptive immunity to health and disease. Currently, the laboratory has three primary research focuses. First, defining how antibodies that interact with innate immune cells can contribute to protection from HIV-1 infection, or control of disease progression. Second, understanding the role of innate cells and inflammation in alloimmune responses that promote rejection of solid organ transplants. And finally, defining the contribution of antibodies and innate immune cells to protection from infection or disease from influenza, cytomegalovirus, and coronaviruses.

Learning Objectives:

• The Postdoctoral Associate will have the opportunity to develop expertise in working with primary human and animal cells, flow cytometry and cell sorting, animal handling, virology, RNA sequencing, and many other laboratory and data analysis skills.
• They will also have the ability to interact with numerous scientists within Duke University and our extensive network of collaborators throughout the world, travel to scientific meetings (post pandemic), seek independent funding, and attend workshops.

Duties:

• Organize and implement complex research plans, develop methods, perform data collection, analysis and evaluation in alignment with the research goals of the laboratory.
• Complete training activities needed to gain proficiency in laboratory skills and data analysis skills required to meet the research goals of the laboratory.
• Working with primary cells, blood products, mucosal samples, infectious agents, and hazardous chemicals safely, and in accordance with Duke Policies.
• Working with small animals (mice), in accordance with protocols approved by the Duke Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
• Communicate findings to the Principal Investigator, members of the laboratory research team, and collaborators.
• Monitor progress of research projects and coordinate with Principal Investigator to stay on budget and schedule to meet the milestones and deliverables.
• Present scientific results at meetings and publish results in peer-reviewed journals.

Expectations:

• Conformance to standards of responsible conduct in research.
• Work effectively both alone, and as part of dynamic research teams.
• Compliance with good scholarly and research practices.
• Maintenance of a laboratory notebook and/or other comparable records of research activity, which remains the property of Duke University upon termination.
• Collegial conduct towards members of the research group and others as described in the Duke University School of Medicine Honor Code of Professional Conduct and other relevant conduct policies pertaining to other schools at Duke University.
• Compliance with all applicable University and departmental policies and procedures.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities ofany particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Minimum Qualifications
Education
See job description for education requirements.

Experience
See job description for requirements.

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