Vacancies
Vacancy Dept. of Genetics (UMCG)
We are searching for a Post-doc that will work on a 2 years project subsidized by the Netherlands Heart Foundation entitled:‘Exome sequencing: an unprecedented opportunity to maximize mutation yields and identify novel disease genes in inherited cardiomyopathies’.
This project will be performed in the Departments of Genetics (UMCG).
Summary of the project
Inherited cardiomyopathies are genetically highly heterogeneous and currently ~60 candidate disease genes are known. Many of these have however been implicated in only a small percentage of patients and explain less than 50% of all patients. Furthermore, it is increasingly recognized that multiple mutations underlie the disease and full genetic screening is needed. Finding the missing genes is far from easy. Candidate gene approaches could be undertaken but screening so many genes on a gene-by-gene basis is undoable. Therefore, we will adopt recently launched exome (all protein-coding regions) sequencing, a novel technique that combines targeted enrichment of all protein-encoding DNA fragments with massive parallel sequencing. This method is highly promising in identifying rare coding variants in (novel) disease genes, in particular in genetically heterogeneous disorders such as cardiomyopathies.
Job description
The Post-doc will be involved in exome sequencing of cardiomyopathy patients to identify potential disease-causing variants in (novel) disease genes and the subsequent data analysis, confirming the presence of selected variants in the patient and analysing carriership of these variants in patients, families and controls, studying the functional consequences of the variants identified by immunohistochemical analyses and cultured cardiomyocyte-based in vitro assays, and confirming the involvement of novel cardiomyopathy genes in a large cohort of patients.
The work will be executed within the cardiogenetics team of the Department of Genetics in which clinical geneticists, clinical molecular geneticists, PhD students, bioinformaticians and technicians closely collaborate. This team work and collaborations within the hospital but also nationally and internationally resulted in a variety of papers in high ranking journal in the last years.
What do we need?
We are looking for Post-doc with a PhD degree in molecular biology/genetics. Candidates should have strong social skills, the ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment and be highly ambitious. In addition, the candidate should have a strong interest in bioinformatics.
The UMCG has a preventive Hepatitis B policy. This means that you must have built up sufficient protection against Hepatitis B before you can be appointed.
What do we offer?
The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centers (CAO-UMC). The UMCG offers a salary of minimally € 2.932,- (gross per month; scale 10/4), depending on relevant experience and training. It concerns a temporary position for two years on a fulltime basis (36 hours/week).
More information
For more information about this vacancy you may contact:
Dr. Jan Jongbloed, tel. no. +31 50 361 71 73
Dr. Peter van Tintelen, tel. no. +31 50 361 71 66
Prof. Dr. Richard Sinke, tel no. +31 50 361 71 09
Links
www.geneticsgroningen.nl
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Publication Report '10