We are looking for highly motivated and creative post-docs to develop novel RNA-based therapeutic approaches in pediatric sarcomas. The positions are in the context of a 3-year research grant funded by the Italian Ministry of Health and of a national Italian multicenter project (SAR_GEN-ITA, ClinicalTrials.gov id:NCT04621201). The ideal candidates will be part of a highly collaborative multidisciplinary environment in the Cancer Genomics and Bioinformatics (CGB) Unit, at the Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM) in Candiolo (Candiolo, IT).
Research. The main objective of SAR_GEN-ITA is identify the molecular underpinnings driving sarcoma onset in young patients. To achieve this goal, our research program will combine genomic and transcriptomic sequencing approaches at bulk, single-cell, and long- read levels. Patients will be tracked from the point of diagnosis throughout their treatment with data including longitudinal and multi-tumour site sequencing. The research will include (1) applying bioinformatics approaches to define the clonal evolution of pediatric sarcomas; (2) identifying molecular markers for use in clinical laboratories, especially in light of RNA- based therapeutics; and (3) developing a system for linking clinical information, treatment history, cancer genomes and histopathological records of well-characterised tumours. The CGB unit study the regulation of alternative splicing in cancer, with a strong focus on the role of RNA binding proteins (RBPs). Our research aim at determining the role of RBPs in cancer progression, assessing the mechanisms of RBP abnormal regulation, establishing whether these mechanisms are common to different cancer types, and identifying novel therapeutic targets. To achieve these goals we will combine high-throughput sequencing approaches with big data science.
Role. The post holder will be responsible for the analysis and integration of multi-omic next-generation sequencing of hundreds of sarcoma pediatric tumors. He/she will contribute to decipher clonal evolution and driver alterations of these tumors. He/She will design of strategies to identify biomarkers of cancer progression/therapy response. He/she will be responsible for linking genomic data with clinical and treatment information of the patients. A key mission will be to ensure the delivery of computational analyses to identify actionable targets generated by alternative splicing defeats. To achieve these goals, the candidate will also be expected to contribute to the development of new algorithms and bioinformatics approaches. Robustness and reproducibility of bioinformatics analyses will be at the core of this role.
Requirements
- PhD in physics, computational biology, computer science, bioinformatics or similar.
- +3 years experience in bioinformatics analyses, especially in the analysis of high- throughput sequencing data, particularly Whole Exome and RNA sequencing.
- Knowledge of programming languages as R, bash, python.
- Experience in cancer genetics and RNA biology.
- Experience in statistical approaches and network theory.
- Experience with single-cell and long-read sequencing data is highly advantageous.
- Experience in standardised and modular bioinformatics workflows.
- Experience in High-Performance Computing and Unix operating systems.
- Ability to report research progress on a regular basis.
- Fluency in English
- Proven communication and problem-solving skills.
- Commitment to oncological research.
- Excellent interpersonal, problem-solving, oral and written communication skills
IIGM is a private research institute located within the FPO Candiolo Cancer Research center. The institutional goal is to foster and develop excellence in human genomic research and education, with special reference to genomic variability in multifactorial diseases, as cancer. The institute provides high-level scientific education and access to state-of-the-art research facilities (e.g. Illumina, Oxford Nanopore sequencers). Further information on the CGB laboratory are available at: http://www.ceredalab.com/
References: Del Giudice M. et al., Cell Reports (2022); Lauria A., Peirone S., Del Giudice M. et al., Nucleic Acid Research (2020); Cereda M., Gambardella G., Benedetti L., et al., Nature Communication (2016).
Application: To apply for this position please submit a cover letter in English, describing research experience and motivation, CV in English, and contact information of 2/3 references to: matteo.cereda@iigm.it
The position is available immediately.
