Job Opportunity: Postdoctoral Fellow, Cell and Developmental Biology, DelGiorno Lab, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Working Title: Postdoctoral Fellow
Last Updated: 24 July 2022
Home Department: Cell and Developmental Biology
Full Time: Full time
Contact Info. / Where to Apply / Required Application Documents (e.g. cover letter, CV)
Dr. Kathleen DelGiorno
kathleen.delgiorno@vanderbilt.edu
This Postdoctoral Fellowship is in the laboratory of Dr. Kathleen DelGiorno. This position will independently perform experiments aimed at understanding epithelial plasticity in diseases of the pancreas. This position will set up and conduct experiments and implement long-term research projects following protocols including the appropriate recording and reporting of data, manuscript, and grant preparation. This position will assist in other laboratory and research functions and work closely with the DelGiorno Lab team. Reporting directly to Dr. DelGiorno, the position is highly collaborative and requires excellent teamwork.
About the Work Unit:
The DelGiorno Laboratory studies Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer, which are devastating diseases with few treatments. This is largely due to late diagnosis and a lack of understanding of the early events leading to injury or tumor formation. Her laboratory uses a combination of histopathology, genetically engineered mouse models, small cell number RNA-sequencing, and ultrastructural microscopy to uncover early changes in the pancreas leading to cancer. They have discovered a surprising amount of epithelial heterogeneity in the pancreas in response to injury and/or oncogenic mutation, including the formation of a number of different secretory cell populations, including tuft cells. The DelGiorno lab is studying the physiological role of metaplasia-derived secretory cell populations in injury, pre-invasive disease and tumorigenesis with the ultimate goal of exploiting anti-tumorigenic signaling or targeting pro-tumorigenic signaling pathways for patient benefit.
About Vanderbilt University:
Vanderbilt is a renowned private institution founded in 1873 located a little more than a mile from downtown Nashville, TN. The university’s students, faculty, staff and visitors frequently cite Nashville as one of the perks of Vanderbilt. VU is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded and your abilities challenged. It is a place where your diversity is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt was recently ranked #1 in the Princeton Review among 382 top colleges and universities for “happiest students” – as well as #2 for “best quality of life” and “great financial aid,” #5 for “best run colleges” and “beautiful campus,” and #6 for both being in a “college city that students love” and having “great campus/city relations.”
Key Functions and Expected Performance:
- Independently run experiments, assays, and record results
- Conduct scientific experiments
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- Read and follow experimental protocols (includes animal handling, assays, husbandry, etc.)
- Compile and effectively communicate results
- Follow University safety protocols (may include use of combustibles, radioactivity, and/or toxic material)
- Prepare and operate equipment in experimental procedures
- Ensure laboratory is prepared for experiments
- Maintain inventories
- Maintain sterile conditions as required
- Prepare reagents
- Clean equipment
- Prepare reagents and materials
- Grant writing with Dr. DelGiorno
- Manuscript preparation with Dr. DelGiorno
- Work closely as a team with DelGiorno Lab personnel to ensure cohesion and success of long-term experiments
Supervisory Relationships:
This position may include supervising or training personnel.
Education and Certifications:
- This position requires a Ph.D. degree.
Experience and Skills:
- Experience with animal handling and/or husbandry is strongly preferred
- Experience with fluorescence activated cell sorting
- Experience with microscopy techniques
- Experience with bioinformatics techniques is preferred but not required
- Experience with organoids
- Excellent communications skills and good teamwork is required.
Key Characteristics of a Successful Team Member in this Work Unit:
- Reliable – Does what they say they will do, when they say they will do it; shows up for work when expected; doesn’t push the burden of work volume or deadlines to others
- Optimism – Is friendly; comes in to work with a good attitude
- Teamwork – Genuinely values teamwork and co-workers, makes them feel valuable and important by acknowledging what they do well; doesn’t expect from others effort that one is unwilling to do themselves, finds ways to acknowledge other’s strong suits
- Honest and Transparent – Doesn’t have hidden agendas, doesn’t play people against each other; is authentic and forthright
- Helpful Nature – Offers to help lighten the load for others in times of need; volunteers rather than waiting to be asked; understands that almost no one works in a silo and needs the help of others to do their job well; recognizes that by helping others first, others will likely reciprocate
General Characteristics of a Successful Vanderbilt University Staff Member:
ACCOUNTABILITY: Owns decisions, outcomes, work products, etc. that are within the scope of one’s role.
COMMUNICATION: Provides information clearly and accurately in various settings, ensuring understanding and participation. Understands how best to present information to different audiences and understands how information may be perceived.
DRIVE & GRIT: Is focused on professional excellence and strives to facilitate and support the same for colleagues in and outside their team, effectively manages through challenges and opportunities while seeking to understand and learn from professional experiences.
ENGAGED: Appreciates the values and mission of the organization, works to contribute to the university, and understands how their work affects the university and university community.
JUDGMENT & PROFESSIONAL ACUMEN: Makes appropriate decisions and evaluates risk and uncertainty to create ideal outcomes, exhibits an eye for the macro and the micro, and works to ensure others are able to do the same.