Postdoctoral Research Associate Quantitative Microscopy and Live-Cell Chromatin Imaging

This position is ideal for an imaging-focused trainee who wants to work at the interface of live-cell microscopy chromatin biology quantitative image analysis and developmental neuroscience. The central goal is to move beyond indirect molecular endpoints and watch chromatin-state dynamics occur in real time in developing neurons.

Postdoctoral fellows will focus on the imaging challenge of making chromatin-state dynamics measurable in living neurons by optimizing biosensor performance microscopy acquisition and quantitative analysis of epigenetic modifications nuclear organization and chromatin-state transitions during neuronal differentiation. Projects will combine live-cell imaging lattice light-sheet and/or super-resolution microscopy neuronal differentiation systems acute perturbations and computational image analysis to understand how gene-regulatory states are organized in developing neurons.

The aim is not simply to apply existing tools but to help build new experimental frameworks. Fellows will contribute to the development of probes assays imaging strategies perturbation workflows and quantitative analysis pipelines that make previously invisible chromatin dynamics visible and mechanistically testable.

Successful fellows will define a major project within the labs broader effort to understand chromatin-state dynamics nuclear organization neuronal maturation and circuit assembly. They will work closely with the PI and an interdisciplinary team of cell biologists developmental neurobiologists biophysicists optics experts and data scientists to generate high-risk high-reward experiments first-author publications and a distinctive scientific identity at the interface of advanced imaging and neurodevelopment.

St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital provides an exceptional postdoctoral training environment with outstanding institutional support cutting-edge imaging technologies collaborative core laboratories and a culture of scientific excellence. Fellows will have access to advanced microscopy platforms data science expertise and a highly collaborative environment where new imaging probes biosensor systems and analytical methods converge on fundamental problems in brain development.

The Ideal Candidate will have:

• a PhD in cell biology biophysics gene regulation neuroscience or related discipline

• Prior experience in live-cell imaging advanced microscopy super-resolution microscopy single-molecule imaging lattice light-sheet microscopy or imaging probe development.

• Interest in applying imaging-based approaches to chromatin organization nuclear dynamics epigenetic regulation or neuronal differentiation.

• Familiarity with quantitative image analysis including tools such as Python MATLAB R Fiji/ImageJ Imaris or related record of peer-reviewed publications

• Experience with segmentation tracking registration time-series analysis or automated image-processing workflows is desirable.

• Experience with fluorescent probes biosensors HaloTag/SNAP-tag systems protein engineering or live-cell assay development is desirable.

• Ability for cogent experimental preparation validation documentation and troubleshooting.

In your cover letter please describe imaging system protocol or project that you personally helped build or improve. What was not working at first What did you change How did you know the system had become reliable What discovery did it enable

Contact To apply for this position send a C.V. Description of Research Interests Outline of Career Aspirations and the contact information of 3 referees to: David J. Solecki PhD Department of Developmental Neurobiology St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital 262 Danny Thomas Place Memphis TN 38105 USA

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