POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR

Isolate and characterize bacteria and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from human subjects (patients as well as healthy controls); using in vitro culture as well as murine models, to understand how the interactions between sex hormones (progesterone, estrogen), and gut microbiome influence host immunity during health and disease, especially multiple sclerosis (MS). In a related project, we utilize transgenic mice expressing MS-linked human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class-II genes to understand how the interaction between host immune genes and microbiota affects the immune response in early life and adulthood. 

Duties include:

• Human Work:
  
  
  
  • Isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from human biospecimens.
  
  
  • Isolation of bacteria from human biospecimens, including stool, oral, and nasal. 
  
  
  • Characterization of metabolites from baceria and host.
  
  
  
  


• Animal Work:
  
  
  
  • Routine breeding
  
  
  • Genotyping
  
  
  • Immunization, such as induction of experimental autoimune encephalomyelitis.
  
  
  • Oral Gavage
  
  
  • Measuring clinical desease (EAE) score.
  
  
  • Collect sera/urine/stool samples.
  
  
  • Generation of Bone marrow chimera.
  
  
  • Euthanize mice
  
  
  • Collect various tissues/organs.
  
  
  
  


• Cell Culture:
  
  
  
  • Routinely culturing primary cells or cell lines
  
  
  • Immunological Assay such as T cell proliferation, ELISA, ELISPOT.
  
  
  • Cell sorting (Magnetic or Flow cytometry)
  
  
  • Flow Cytometry
  
  
  • Bacterial culture
  
  
  
  


• Biochemistry:
  
  
  
  • Immunoprecipitation
  
  
  • Western blotting
  
  
  
  


• Molecular biology:
  
  
  
  • DNA and RNA extraction
  
  
  • PCR, RT-PCR, and real-time PCR
  
  
  • Preparing samples for Next Gen Sequencing
  
  
  
  


• Pathology:
  
  
  
  • Immunohistochemistry
  
  
  • Immunofluorescence staining
  
  
  
  


• Writing manuscripts


• Presentation in seminars adn posters


• Performs other duties as assigned.

PhD or MD/PhD is required.

Good communication and writing skills in English.

Experience with isolation, culture, and characterization of bacteria and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from human biospecimens, molecular biology including NextGen sequencing and data analysis, working with mouse models, microbial culture, cell culture, immunological techniques.

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