Post-Doc Research Associate

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development.

Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country.

UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage, paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work/life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

The UNC School of Medicine has a rich tradition of excellence and care. Our mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of North Carolinians, and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research. We strive to promote faculty, staff, and learner development in a diverse, respectful environment where our colleagues demonstrate professionalism, enhance learning, and create personal and professional sustainability. We optimize our partnership with the UNC Health System through close collaboration and commitment to service.
OUR VISION
Our vision is to be the nation's leading public school of medicine. We are ranked 2nd in primary care education among all US schools of medicine and 5th among public peers in NIH research funding. Our Allied Health Department is home to five top-ranked divisions, and we are home to 18 top-ranked clinical and basic science departments in NIH research funding.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research.
Patient Care: We will promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.
Education: We will prepare tomorrow's health care professionals and biomedical researchers by facilitating learning within innovative curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education. We will cultivate outstanding teaching and research faculty, and we will recruit outstanding students and trainees from highly diverse backgrounds to create a socially responsible, highly skilled workforce.
Research: We will develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers, and resources. We will provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our University to support outstanding research. We will foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic, and population research.

Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center is inviting applications for a funded position to begin as early as May 1 2025.
The Spanheimer lab studies how gene regulation impacts response to treatment in breast cancer. Particular areas of emphasis are investigating how the program of estrogen response is maintained in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer and identifying novel therapeutic vulnerabilities in tumors that become unresponsive to antiestrogen treatment (Spanheimer et al. Clin Cancer Research 2014, Spanheimer et al. Ann Surg 2014, Spanheimer et al. Ann Surg Oncol 2015). We work with cell line and in vitro models, but also innovative translational models. As a breast cancer surgeon, I have developed important infrastructure for fresh tissue acquisition which has facilitated generating translational models and single cell genomics used in this proposal. Specifically, we recently showed that single cell based analyses can identify unique drug resistant subpopulations within heterogeneous tumors (Kim et al. Clinical Cancer Research, Zikry et al. PNAS) and that characterizing these subpopulations identifies treatment targets to overcome resistance. Our current research focuses on how resistant trajectories arise from tumors and how we can prevent resistance by targeting unique vulnerabilities of those cells.

The purpose of this position will be to further our projects into understanding how tumor cell subpopulations give rise to resistant trajectories. Special emphasis will be on developing and testing in vitro models including CRISPR-CAS9 knockouts and gene regulation assays including mRNA sequencing and CUT and RUN, and using proliferation assays to test therapeutic strategies.

PhD or MD in Molecular Oncology, Genetics, or related field.

PhD or MD in Molecular Oncology, Genetics, or related field.

The ideal candidate will be highly motivated to join a vibrant research laboratory to take advantage of sophisticated model systems that we have developed. Candidates with prior experience in molecular biology, molecular genetics, cancer genomics, and/or computational biology will be preferred.

For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at (919) 962-9982 or send an email to opahr@unc.edu.

Please note: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University is an equal opportunity, employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.