Position: Postdoctoral Fellow – DeMarco Lab
Employer: University of British Columbia
Location: St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, Canada
Earliest anticipated start date: July 1, 2024
Job Description
A postdoctoral research fellowship is available in the laboratory of Dr. Mari DeMarco in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia (www.DeMarcoLab.ca). The fellow will lead the technological design, analytical validation and clinical evaluation of biofluid diagnostics to support early and accurate diagnosis neurodegenerative proteinopathies. The laboratory has a variety of analytical tools to pursue protein biomarker assay development, including an array of mass spectrometric and immunometric equipment. The intended primary methodology for this work will be quantitative/targeted protein mass spectrometry, and dependent on the fellow’s interests and goals, can be expanded to other analytical approaches. The primary focus of the lab is in advancing protein biomarkers/assays for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal degeneration, Parkinson's disease dementia. As the lab routinely engages with clinical partners to help solve urgent diagnostic challenges, the fellow may also have the opportunity to participate in building fit-for-purpose analytical tools for applications beyond dementia.
The fellow will be based at St Paul’s Hospital, a teaching hospital of the University of British Columbia (UBC) located in downtown Vancouver, Canada. The DeMarco laboratory physically spans the domains and research and medicine with footprints in both the hospital laboratory and the UBC research centre at St. Paul’s Hospital. The candidate will work in a collaborative clinical research environment, and will interact regularly with physicians, laboratory medicine professionals, and other collaborators.
Compensation
The anticipated salary range for this position is $50,000 - $65,000 per year. Details on the various benefits available to postdoctoral fellows, including extended health benefits, can be found on the UBC Human Resource site.
About the DeMarco Lab
Combining protein biochemistry, analytical chemistry and laboratory medicine, the DeMarco Lab develops new biofluid tests for use in patient care. The group works collaboratively with health care providers and patients in the design and implementation of biofluid diagnostics to fill unmet needs in medicine. The lab has a distinctive track-record in the innovation and implementation of clinical mass spectrometry assays for protein biomarkers. As one example, the lab’s Alzheimer’s disease biomarker research resulted in a new clinical mass spectrometry diagnostic tool, followed by an observational clinical trial assessing its impact on medical and personal decision-making as part of its implementation in the health care system in Canada.
Why apply for this position?
Apply your analytical chemistry and/or protein biochemistry and/or proteomics expertise to solve real-world problems in medicine, through the creation of new diagnostic tools to help improve patient care. Develop key leadership skills, in a supportive environment, to further your career development.
Qualifications
- A PhD in biochemistry, chemistry, or related field
- Documented (e.g., peer-reviewed publications, thesis, etc.) hands-on experience in liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry or protein biochemistry
- First author publications in reputable journals
- Strong interpersonal and organizational skills
- Effective communicator both verbally and in writing
- Effective mentor to more junior team members
How to apply
Submit as a single PDF to mari.demarco@ubc.ca your:
- Cover letter specifically addressing this posting,
- CV, and,
- the names and contact information of three references.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.