Job Description

Job Posting# 907308

Position: Postdoctoral Fellow- Pancreatic Cancer

Site: MaRs Princess Margaret Cancer Research Tower
Department: Research
Reports to: Principle Investigator
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Status: Temporary full time

University Health Network (UHN) is looking for an experienced professional to fill the key role of Postdoctoral Fellow in our Princess Margaret Cancer Research Department.

Transforming lives and communities through excellence in care, discovery and learning.

The University Health Network, where "above all else the needs of patients come first", encompasses Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the Michener Institute of Education at UHN. The breadth of research, the complexity of the cases treated, and the magnitude of its educational enterprise has made UHN a national and international resource for patient care, research and education. With a long tradition of ground breaking firsts and a purpose of "Transforming lives and communities through excellence in care, discovery and learning", the University Health Network (UHN), Canada's largest research teaching hospital, brings together over 16,000 employees, more than 1,200 physicians, 8,000+ students, and many volunteers. UHN is a caring, creative place where amazing people are amazing the world.

University Health Network (UHN) is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto and a member of the Toronto Academic Health Science Network. The scope of research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. Research across UHN's five research institutes spans the full spectrum of diseases and disciplines, including cancer, cardiovascular sciences, transplantation, neural and sensory sciences, musculoskeletal health, rehabilitation sciences, and community and population health.

The Notta laboratory at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Canada is looking for a postdoctoral fellow. We are associated with the Medical Biophysics program at the University of Toronto. Our work focuses on pancreatic cancer and one of our main goals is to understand why pancreatic cancer is so aggressive. This tumour spreads and evolves very rapidly in patients, and is highly chemoresistant. There are important questions in the field that need to be addressed such as what are the cellular origins of this disease? Why do RAS mutations occur so frequently? What are the main mechanisms driving resistance to nearly all drugs? What role does the stroma play in tumour evolution and treatment resistance? Broadly, our projects surround these types of questions but are not limited to them. Our lab collaborates very closely with the clinical program at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and also with Ontario Institute for Cancer Research. Together, our research program houses around ~400-500 paired whole-genomes/RNA-seq from all clinical stages of pancreatic cancer.

Our laboratory is split between wet and dry components, and we facilitate training in both areas. On the wet-lab side, our work focuses on patient derived organoids, CRISPR, xenografting, molecular profiling, genomics and drug screening. On the dry lab side, we perform molecular subtyping of RNA-seq data (both bulk and single cell), whole genome sequencing (both bulk and single cell), statistical analysis of large datasets, data integration, tumour evolution analysis, genomic workflows for patients on clinical trial.

Additional information about the Notta Lab can be found at:

Website:

Twitter: @LabNotta

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Projects in our lab vary widely but typically involve investigating mechanisms of pancreatic cancer development. We encourage trainees to bring their own ideas and expertise to address new problems. We are looking for leaders. Candidates are expected to hold a PhD, MD or both. Candidates who are close to finishing their PhDs but have not published are also encouraged to apply. All candidates should have a manuscript in preparation or have published at the time of the application. No experience in pancreatic cancer is necessary.

Qualifications:

• Recently graduated from PhD or MD program
• Publication(s) and manuscript(s) in preparation or completed.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills, along with a high degree of independence and flexibility to thrive in a novel and rapidly evolving research environment.
• Ability to write scientific communications and present their word
• Excellent initiative and leadership qualities

Vaccines (COVID-19 and others) are a requirement of the job unless you have an exemption on a medical ground pursuant to the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Posting Date: October 06, 2021 Ending Date: Until Filled

For current UHN employees, only those who have successfully completed their probationary period, have a good employee record along with satisfactory attendance in accordance with UHN's attendance management program, and possess all the required experience and qualifications should apply.

University Health Network thanks all applicants, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

UHN is a respectful, caring, and inclusive workplace. We are committed to championing accessibility, diversity and equal opportunity and welcomes all applicants including but not limited to: all religions and ethnicities, LGBTQ2s+, BIPOC, persons with disabilities and all others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process providing the applicant has met the Bona-fide requirements for the open position. Applicants need to make their requirements known when contacted.