Post-doctoral position in microfluidic cell sorting and process automation

Within the framework of an international collaboration between ICFO (The Institute of Photonic Sciences), LMU Munich and UC Santa Barbara, we are offering a postdoctoral position to a well-qualified, highly motivated and dynamic young scientist who wishes to enhance his/her scientific career in a friendly and stimulating environment. The successful candidate will be joining the Group of Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology group led by Michael Krieg at the ICFO in Barcelona, Spain. The main task of the advertised position is to build multilayer optofluidic device for single cell sorting followed by DNA extraction and on chip amplification. The device shall combine optical sorting of cells expressing fluorescent biomarkers for on chip lifespan determination and DNA extraction. The ultimate goal is to decipher the role of replicative lifespan of yeast cells in mitochondrial health and DNA damage.

The Krieg lab has extensive experience in mechanobiology in C. elegans and zebrafish using advanced microscopy techniques, microfluidics and optical tweezers to interrogate fundamental mechanical processes in neurons and during development. We primarily use C. elegans due to its many advantages as a genetic model system and its wealth of mutant and cell biological tools. Also, we combine experiments with theory and simulations to obtain a systems view of cellular processes. 

The advertised position is targeted at PostDocs with prior experience in advanced microfluidics for bio-applications/bioengineering with strong background in molecular biology and microscopy. The project is highly interdisciplinary and collaborative and the successful applicant is expected to work in a team of engineers, physicists and biologists to build an automated devices for tracking healthspan of individual cells across multiple generations. The candidate has the opportunity to travel internationally to the participating labs in Munich (Osman lab) and Santa Barbara (Shraiman lab). 

Eligibility and Conditions

Candidates must hold an internationally-recognized Ph.D.-equivalent degree (or evidence of its completion in the nearest future) preferably in bio-engineering, mechanical engineering with a strong background in microfluidic technologies for bio applications. The successful candidate will autonomously fabricate dual layer device for fluid control using Quake valves and feel comfortable to operate in a clean room and test it in a real world scenario to trouble shoot its performance. 

Ideally, the candidate should have experience in single cell biology and fluorescence microscopy. Positively valued will be experience in work with recombinant DNA technology, on-chip DNA amplification and digital droplet PCR experiments.

No restrictions of citizenship apply to the ICFO post-doctoral contracts.

The contract is offered for periods of up to 3 years.

Application procedure

The formal application should be submitted online via http://jobs.icfo.eu.

Suitable candidates are requested to submit:

- Presentation letter with a declaration of interest,

- Curriculum Vitae, including contact details,

- The contact e-mail of two potential referees.

Candidates should be willing to be contacted by phone during the selection process.

Candidates may contact jobs@icfo.eu for informal enquiries regarding the application, as well as address scientific enquiries to michael.krieg@icfo.eu. 

Deadlines

The call will remain open until suitable candidates are identified. 

For updated information about ICFO, please visit http://www.icfo.eu/