Postdoctoral Fellows – Lung Cancer Research

Description: State funded multiple postdoctoral positions are available in the Zhang Lab (https://med.ucf.edu/wzhang/) at Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences of University of Central Florida College of Medicine to work on metabolic pathways leading to tumorigenesis and drug-tolerance in lung cancer. It is an exciting collaborative project involving collaborators at the Harvard Medical School, Yale University and the Jackson Laboratory to understand an interplay between noncoding RNAs and metabolic pathways in driving lung precancer development and treatment tolerance towards EGFR-based therapy (Cell, 2012; Nature Communications, 2016; Nature Metabolism, 2019). This project integrates multiple fields including tumor-initiating cell, cellular metabolism, molecular biology, noncoding RNA, pathology, and transgenic mouse lung cancer models. The postdoc fellow will work on all aspects of the project. This innovative area of research has the potential to lead to the development of novel therapeutic agents to prevent tumorigenesis and drug resistance. It is a terrific opportunity for highly motivated and creative postdoctoral fellows. Qualifications: Candidates with a strong background in studying molecular biology/genetics, cell biology, cancer metabolism, and/or transgenic mouse models are encouraged to apply. Candidates should currently or soon hold a doctoral degree and a proven record of scientific productivity. Salary and benefits will follow NIH and UCF guidelines. Please send a statement of research experience and career goals, a copy of Curriculum Vitae and contact information for at least three references in one PDF file to Dr. Wencai Zhang (wencai.zhang@ucf.edu).

Undergraduate Research Assistant – Lung Cancer Research

Description: Undergraduate research assistant positions are available in the Zhang Lab (https://med.ucf.edu/wzhang/) at Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences of University of Central Florida College of Medicine to work on metabolic pathways leading to tumorigenesis and drug-tolerance in lung cancer. It is an exciting collaborative project involving collaborators at the Harvard Medical School, Yale University and the Jackson Laboratory to understand an interplay between noncoding RNAs and metabolic pathways in driving lung precancer development and treatment tolerance towards EGFR-based therapy (Cell, 2012; Nature Communications, 2016; Nature Metabolism, 2019). This project integrates multiple fields including tumor-initiating cell, cellular metabolism, molecular biology, noncoding RNA, pathology, and transgenic mouse lung cancer models. The undergraduate research assistant will work on some aspects of the project. This innovative area of research has the potential to lead to the development of novel therapeutic agents to prevent tumorigenesis and drug resistance. It is a terrific opportunity for highly motivated and creative undergraduate students.

Student Responsibilities: Independent experimental design and performance with minimal guidance, including cell culture, real-time PCR, western blot, cell-viability assay, immunofluorescent staining, imaging and data presentation. Other responsibility includes lab duties and potential collaboration with other labs.Qualifications: Arrange time properly and report data timely and honestly. A minimum of 15 hours per week and a minimum of two semesters for the same project are required. Please send a statement of research experience and career goals, a copy of Curriculum Vitae and contact information for at least three references in one PDF file to Dr. Wencai Zhang (wencai.zhang@ucf.edu).