The Logsdon Lab at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine is looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral research fellow to work full-time starting in July 2024. The Logsdon lab is interested in understanding how some of the most rapidly evolving regions of the human genome vary among the population in both health and disease. We are particularly interested in the centromeres, which are found on every chromosome and are known to play an important role in infertility, cancer, and birth defects. More information about our research can be found on our lab website: logsdonlab.com

The successful candidate will work with Dr. Logsdon to assess the genetic and epigenetic variation of human centromeres among the population and in disease cohorts using long-read sequencing technologies. They will focus on the discovery of new variants within human centromeres relevant to disease and will collaborate with leading clinical cytogeneticists affiliated with the Penn Medicine Biobank (PMBB) and Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania Division of Genomic Diagnostics (CHOP DGD).

This is a wonderful training opportunity for those interested in learning and applying long-read sequencing technologies to detect and diagnose diseases typically missed with short-read sequencing. We will provide hands-on training on long-read sequencing platforms (if desired) as well as training in computational analyses to assess the variation of centromeres in human genomes.

This work builds on Dr. Logsdon’s previous success in determining the first complete sequence of all centromeres in the human genome (Logsdon et al., Nature, 2021; Altemose, Logsdon et al., Science, 2022) and determining the genetic and epigenetic variation of centromeres between two human genomes (Logsdon et al., Nature, 2024). There is immense potential for impactful first-author publications in this area.

Essential Duties

• Generate long-read sequencing data on the Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) PromethION
• Assemble long-read sequencing data into whole-genome assemblies using established computational tools
• Assess the single-nucleotide variation (SNV), structural variation (SV), and epigenetic variation of human centromeres
• Present research at lab meetings, departmental seminars, and conferences
• Write and publish results as a first author in abstracts, posters, and manuscripts
• Apply for postdoctoral fellowships to gain experience with writing grants and obtaining funding

Qualifications

Minimum requirements:

• Ph.D. in a biological science by the time of appointment
• A strong record of academic productivity
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to successfully complete projects independently

Applicants who have experience with the following are especially encouraged to apply:

• Next-generation DNA sequencing (e.g. Illumina)
• Long-read sequencing
• Computational tools used in bioinformatics research
• Programming languages (Python, R, Java, C/C , Perl, etc.).

Job Location

Philadelphia, PA, USA

Department/School

Department of Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Contact

Interested individuals should email Dr. Glennis Logsdon (glogsdon@pennmedicine.upenn.edu) with a description of your previous research experience and interests, a CV, and contact information of three references (name, position, title, organization, email, and phone number).

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $65,000.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to Relocate:

• Philadelphia, PA 19104: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person