Announcements

Employment Opportunities

Faculty Position in Bioinformatics.—The Department of Human Genetics in the Graduate School of Public Health, the Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, and the Hillman Cancer Center at the University of Pittsburgh are seeking candidates for a joint faculty position in computational genetics and bioinformatics. The position may be at the assistant- or associate-professor level and may be a tenure-track position, depending on the qualifications of the candidate. The faculty member will be primarily affiliated with the Center for Computational Biology and Informatics; the academic faculty appointment will be in the Department of Human Genetics. The successful applicant will have a Ph.D. or an equivalent degree in his or her field, which may be (but is not limited to) mathematics, statistics, computer science, engineering, physics, computational biology, or genetics. The new faculty member will join internationally recognized colleagues in bioinformatics, computational biology, statistical genetics, and genetic epidemiology. Major areas of research among current faculty in these areas include population genetics, complex genetic disorders, genetic-mapping methods, gene-expression profiling of malignancies, computational modeling of cell signaling, regulation and cancer at the cellular level, pharmacogenomics, microarray analysis, and computational structural-biology issues such as characterization of protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions and structure-based determination of function. The University of Pittsburgh has considerable computing resources devoted to this area and has close working relationships with groups at Carnegie Mellon University and the Pittsburgh Supercomputer Center. There are opportunities for extensive collaborations within the University, as well as for participation in graduate programs and development of new graduate programs. Applicants should send a curriculum vitae and the names of three references to Dr. Eleanor Feingold, Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, A310 Crabtree Hall, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261; e-mail: feingold@pitt.edu. The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

Clinical Geneticist.—The Division of Medical Genetics in the Department of Pediatrics of The University of Texas Medical School at Houston is inviting applications for a position as a clinical geneticist. Candidates should demonstrate excellence in patient care and teaching. Participation in research, clinical or laboratory based, will be expected. There is an active, funded clinical research center available, and multiple opportunities exist for collaborative research with other investigators. Requirements include an M.D. degree and board certification or eligibility for such certification (BC/BE) in clinical genetics and pediatrics. BC/BE in biochemical genetics is desired but not essential. Recruitment will be focused at the assistant- and associate-professor levels. Interested applicants should send a letter of inquiry, including a statement of interest and a curriculum vitae, to Hope Northrup, M.D., Director, Division of Medical Genetics, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030; telephone: (713) 500-5760; fax: (713) 500-5689; e-mail: Hope.Northrup@uth.tmc.edu. The University of Texas is an equal opportunity employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply for this position.

Postdoctoral Positions in Mechanisms of Chromosome Deletion in Birth Defects.—To study the mechanisms of chromosome deletion in germ cells that leads to Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes (PWS and AS), which our data suggest is due to recombination between chromosome-specific duplicated sequences termed “duplicons” (see Am J Hum Genet 65:370–386; Genome Res 10:319–329; Genome Res 10:597–610). This position is funded by a new 5-year grant from the National Institutes of Health. The successful applicant will join a vibrant laboratory and will perform studies examining the molecular, genetic, and environmental factors predisposing to chromosome-deletion events in PWS and AS, using state-of-the-art genomic, sequence, somatic cell hybrid, fluorescence, and mouse transgenic-model technologies. An advanced degree (Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent) is required. Experience in genetics, mouse models, developmental biology, or molecular physiology is preferred. Candidates should have a track record of productivity and publications. For additional information on this position and additional postdoctoral positions related to understanding the mechanisms of genomic imprinting in PWS, AS, and mouse models, as well as the genes and pathways that lead to PWS, see our Web site (http://www.med.upenn.edu/~camb/fac/Nicholls.html). Send a curriculum vitae to Robert D. Nicholls, D.Phil., Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, 415 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6140; fax (215) 898-0273; e-mail: robertn@mail.med.upenn.edu

Postdoctoral Position.—A postdoctoral position is available immediately to study chromatin structure and DNA methylation in gene regulations. The project will test the widely favored but largely untested hypothesis that the deletion-caused inhibition of heterochromatin spreading in the subtelomeric region of one 4q arm leads to dominant phenotype in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). The project includes studies of the determination of the methylation and heterochromatinization statuses of the region in unaffected individuals and FSHD patients; the replication pattern of this region and the identification of mechanisms that mediate the deletion; and the inappropriate activation, resulting in FSHD, of one or more genes in this region. The candidate should have a Ph.D. (or an equivalent degree) in molecular biology or genetics, with an extensive research background in both molecular genetics and molecular cytogenetics. Please send a curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests, and the names of three references to Marilyn M. Li, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Human Genetics, Tulane University Medical School, 1430 Tulane Avenue, Room 5500, New Orleans, LA 70112, telephone: (504) 588-5229, e-mail: mli2@tulane.edu, or to Melanie Ehrlich, Ph.D., Professor of Human Genetics and Biochemistry, Tulane University Medical School; e-mail: ehrlich@tulane.edu

Postdoctoral Position.—A postdoctoral position is available to study the role of telomeric genes in cell-growth regulation and cellular senescence. The candidate should have a recent Ph.D. in the biological sciences and a strong background in molecular biology and genetics. Interested individuals should send a curriculum vitae and the names of three references to Yi Ning, Ph.D., Department of Pathology, Building MSTF, Room 7-17, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201; e-mail: yning@som.umaryland.edu. The University of Maryland is an equal opportunity employer.

Laboratory Supervisor.—The Cytogenetics Laboratory at Duke University has an immediate opening for a laboratory supervisor. Test volume in the laboratory currently exceeds 2,000 cases annually. These include tests of bone marrow, amniotic fluid, peripheral blood, solid tumors, and products of conception. The laboratory has an extensive molecular cytogenetics service, including a full range of analyses for both constitutional and neoplastic disorders. Additional capabilities include multitelomere assays and 24-color FISH (M-FISH). The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art imaging systems for bright field and FISH analysis. Candidates should be certified in cytogenetics by the National Credentialing Agency, with at least 5 years of experience in a full-service laboratory. Supervisory/management experience is essential. The position includes excellent benefits and a salary commensurate with experience. The laboratory is located in the exciting academic environment of Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. The Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area offers broad academic, cultural, and leisure opportunities. Duke University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Send, fax, or e-mail your resume to: Barbara K. Goodman, Ph.D., FACMG, Director, Clinical Cytogenetics Laboratory, Duke University Medical Center, Department of Pathology, Box 3712, Durham, NC 27710; fax: (919) 681-7072; e-mail: barbara.goodman@duke.edu. Visit the Duke human resources Web site (http://www.hr.duke.edu).

Medical Geneticist.—The Department of Pediatrics at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital is seeking a clinical geneticist certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics or eligible for such certification. Academic rank will be commensurate with experience. Responsibilities will include inpatient and outpatient clinical care, participation in medical education of students and residents, and research. The division currently consists of one M.D./Ph.D. geneticist, three genetic counselors, and a Ph.D. cytogeneticist. The division provides a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, other area hospitals, and outreach clinic sites. The division also interacts closely with the Maternal Fetal Medicine Division of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology to provide prenatal genetic services. Comprehensive cytogenetics and biochemical genetics laboratories are on site. Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital is a 160-bed, free-standing hospital and ambulatory-care center located in midtown St. Louis and serves a diverse population from the inner city, the metropolitan area, and a 200-mile referral radius. The medical staff includes >90 full-time site-based Saint Louis University School of Medicine faculty. Saint Louis University is a Catholic Jesuit institution dedicated to education, research, and health care. The successful candidate will have a strong record of academic achievement in clinical genetics. Interested candidates should submit a curriculum vitae to Jun Oizumi, M.D, Ph.D., Director of Medical Genetics, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 1465 South Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63104-1095; telephone: (314) 577-5639. Saint Louis University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and encourages nominations of and applications from women and minorities.

Postdoctoral Position in Statistical Genetics.—Postdoctoral research position now available at Columbia University in the Department of Psychiatry, in the Division of Clinical and Genetic Epidemiology, and the Department of Biostatistics, in the Division of Statistical Genetics. Applicants should have a recent doctoral degree in human genetics, biostatistics, epidemiology, or a related field and must be committed to studying the genetics of complex human disease. Successful applicant will be able to participate in existing projects on specific diseases (including both psychiatric diseases such as panic disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disease, and autism, and nonpsychiatric diseases, such as epilepsy, thyroid disease, and diabetes) and/or to develop and evaluate new mathematical and statistical approaches to genetic analyses. This position is available immediately and is open to individuals who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Send a letter and a curriculum vitae to Dr. David A. Greenberg or Dr. Susan Hodge, NYSPI, Unit 24, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032. E-mail applications will not be accepted. Columbia University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and encourages women and minorities to apply.

Information Specialist and Genetics Counselor Positions.—A new genetics information center has immediate openings for three full-time information specialists. By providing quality information, clinical and research resources, and links to peer support, this national call center will help the public understand rare disease and genetic diagnoses, tests, resources, and services. The specialists' responsibilities will include responding to public telephone and e-mail inquiries about genetics and rare diseases; developing resources to support high-quality, prompt, and sensitive responses; maintaining resource databases and Web site content; and tracking the latest policy issues. The ideal candidate has a B.S., B.S.W., or M.S.W. degree and/or experience at a health information call center. Send a cover letter, a resumé, and writing samples to J. Lewis, M.S., 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, #404, Washington, D.C. 20008; fax: (202) 966-8553; e-mail: jlewis@geneticalliance.org

Office Assistant.—There is an immediate opening for a full-time office assistant to provide program support for a new genetics call center; to manage and coordinate Genetic Alliance office communications (including the switchboard, mail, fax, mailing projects); to maintain and develop contact databases; and to assist in the areas of membership, human resources, procurement, inventory, and conference services. This position is multifaceted, providing involvement in a variety of Genetic Alliance programs. Salary is in low $20s, with excellent benefits. Send a cover letter, a resumé, and writing samples to N. Muschette, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, #404, Washington, D.C. 20008; fax: (202) 966-8553; e-mail: nmuschette@geneticalliance.org. See our Web site (http://www.geneticalliance.org/) to review the job description for job content and required qualifications.

Executive Assistant to Executive Director.—There is an immediate opening for a full-time executive assistant to provide high-level administrative, development, policy, and editorial assistance to the executive director of the Genetic Alliance at a time of accelerating organizational growth and public policy involvement. This midlevel staff member will work closely with the executive director to fulfill key objectives of our 3-year strategic plan. Previous not-for-profit and administrative/policy experience and excellent writing and social skills are essential. Salary will be commensurate with experience, with excellent benefits. Send a cover letter, a resumé, and writing samples to N. Muschette, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, #404, Washington, D.C. 20008; fax: (202) 966-8553; e-mail: nmuschette@geneticalliance.org

Director of Membership and Member Services.—To support the recent growth and outreach of the Genetic Alliance, there is an immediate opening for a full-time director of membership and member services. This senior-level staff member is responsible for development and diversification of the Genetic Alliance membership through outreach to new communities, coordinating new member services, responding to membership inquiries, recruiting new members, publishing a monthly newsletter, maintaining a membership database and Web site content, and collaborating with the Genetic Alliance board and committees to secure program funding. Salary will be commensurate with experience, with excellent benefits. Send a cover letter, a resumé, and writing samples to N. Muschette, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, #404, Washington, D.C. 20008; fax: (202) 966-8553; e-mail: nmuschette@geneticalliance.org. See our Web site (http://www.geneticalliance.org/) to review the job description for job content and required qualifications.

Conference

The Great Lakes Chromosome Conference.—The 40th annual Great Lakes Chromosome Conference (GLCC) will be held May 16 and 17, 2002, at The Colony Hotel in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. See the GLCC Web site (http://glccontario.tripod.com/theGLCC/) for details about the GLCC, past and present. For further information or to be added to the e-mail list, please contact one of the meeting's organizers: either Dr. Marsha Speevak, Lab Geneticist, The Credit Valley Hospital, 2200 Eglinton Avenue West, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5M 2N1; telephone: (905) 813-2200, extension 6635; e-mail: mspeevak@cvh.on.ca; or Dr. Jeannette Holden, Director, Cytogenetics and DNA Research Lab, Onguwanada, 191 Portsmouth Avenue, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7M 86A; telephone: (613) 548-4419, extension 165; e-mail: holdenj@post.queensu.ca