A postdoctoral position is available immediately in the laboratory of Olivier Cinquin at UC Irvine, to develop computational tools that enable groundbreaking approaches to the fundamental relationship between cell cycling, mutation accumulation, and aging. The aging process has a complex relationship with cell cycling: cell cycling maintains organ function by ensuring self-renewal, but this cycling is thought to drive mutation accumulation, and to eventually lead to senescence. Our long-term aim is to elucidate the strategies used by animals to minimize the negative impact of cell cycling, and to elucidate the compromises made between self-renewal and mutation accrual. Our approach relies in large part on a computational pipeline that quantifies raw, experimental data (especially microscopy images) and extracts high-level features that can be used for machine learning. Our pipeline was designed for our own purposes and our own model system (the round worm C. elegans), but is finding uses in unrelated biological fields.
An important part of the successful applicant’s project will be to design new analysis tools, design a NoSQL database to store raw data and analysis results, and actively participate in the biological interpretation of aggregated results. Numerous further projects are available for the successful applicant to explore and develop depending on his/her interests.
Applicants should hold a PhD in a theoretical discipline such as computer science. Applicants must have experience with Java and UNIX, an understanding of image processing algorithms, and a strong desire to interact with biologists. Also desirable are experience with machine learning techniques, experience with NoSQL databases such as db4o or MongoDB, experience with matrix libraries such as Colt or UJMP, knowledge of C/C++, a good understanding of performance issues and concurrency pitfalls, and experience with GPU programming.
UC Irvine provides an outstanding environment for postdoctoral scholars to broaden their skills and research interests, thanks to multidisciplinary structures such as the Center for Complex Biological Systems, one of only 13 NIH-funded national systems biology centers, or the Institute for Genomics and Bioinformatics. UC Irvine is located in Southern California, which offers clement weather throughout the year as well as numerous opportunities for outdoor activities.
To apply, send a statement of research accomplishments and interests, a CV, and have three reference letters sent directly to Olivier Cinquin, Dept. of Developmental and Cell Biology, 4103 McGaugh Hall, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2300, or olivier.cinquin@uci.edu by 11/1/2012. The University of California, Irvine is an equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity.