Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: Krembil Research Institute-Shroeder Arthritis Institute

150 150 Office of Research Trainees

University Health Network (UHN) is looking for an experienced professional to fill the key role of Postdoctoral Fellow in the Shroeder Arthritis Institute.

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 groundbreaking 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 1,600 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 seven 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. Find out about our purpose, values and principles here.

An Postdoctoral Research Fellow is required to investigate cell therapy applications with focus on Osteoarthritis. Specifically, the Postdoctoral Fellow will be involved in evaluating the basic immunobiology of human monocytes/macrophages, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and iPSC-derived monocytes/macrophages and MSCs.

Candidates will have experience in cell culture and cell therapy, particularly MSCs, iPSCs, or other primary cell culture as well as in vitro evaluations by flow cytometry, qPCR, immunofluorescence. Candidates should have strong research background in immunology and human cell culture experience. Molecular biology skills are also desired. Candidates experienced in generating animal (mice and rats) models, transplanting/infusing cells into pre-clinical models is a definite asset. Candidates will conduct extensive immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence characterization and must have strong technical capability in these.

The new Schroeder Osteoarthritis Advanced Therapeutics Centre will be launching new clinical cohort studies, Health Canada-approved clinical trials in 2022, all focused on developing biologics/cellular therapies. This position is a great opportunity for a talented scientist to be involved in creating this new centre from the ground-up. This position offers the opportunity to develop new advances in biologics therapies, and cell therapy clinical trials. The position is multi-disciplinary and will involve working closely with orthopedic surgeons to handle patient samples and develop new approaches to treat diseases; work with biostatisticians to design clinical trial; work with bioinformaticians to process big data sets and with regulatory consultants to submit clinical trial applications.

Qualifications

  • Recently obtained Ph.D (within 5 Years) or M.D (within 10 years) in a related field (life sciences, immunology, cell biology, biochemistry, engineering) with extensive experience in cell therapy or general immunology
  • Expertise in immune cell functional assays: T cell proliferation, monocyte/macrophage polarization assays, immunophenotyping (flow cytometry), multiplex assays/ELISAs, qPCR, molecular biology, microarray
  • Hands-on expertise in primary human cell culture and isolation from bone marrow, umbilical cord, lipoaspriate, peripheral blood
  • Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence skills are a must
  • Animal model experience/surgical animal model experience are an asset
  • Background in macrophage immunology and osteoarthritis are definite assets
  • Statistical knowledge and use of software is requiredll proliferation, monocyte/macrophage polarization assays, immunophenotyping (flow cytometry), multiplex assays/ELISAs, qPCR, molecular biology, microarray
  • Hands-on expertise in primary human cell culture and isolation from bone marrow, umbilical cord, lipoaspriate, peripheral blood
  • Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence skills are a must
  • Animal model experience/surgical animal model experience are an asset
  • Background in macrophage immunology and osteoarthritis are definite assets
  • Statistical knowledge and use of software is required

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

If you are interested in making your contribution at UHN, please apply on-line. You will be asked to copy and paste as well as attach your resume, covering letter and three letters of reference. You will also be required to complete some initial screening questions.

Posted Date: December 9, 2021                           Closing Date: January 6, 2022

More information and apply here.