Job Description

Job Description Summary:
GW has everything you need to succeed in discovery. Outstanding research, state-of-the-art facilities and world-class faculty support discovery and innovative solutions. Researchers and faculty across campus advance interdisciplinary and emerging research and scholarship. Our active GW Postdoctoral Association welcomes your engagement in social and professional activities as you join our research teams. Research guides, coding and data management solutions as well as extensive online journals from GW Libraries help to guide your study. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) supports the research infrastructure and facilitates several institutional research initiatives.

One postdoc position in computational genomics and systems biology is available in the lab of Dr. Weiqun Peng at the George Washington University, DC. The overarching theme of our research is gene regulation and epigenetics, aiming to both understand the gene regulatory networks’ fundamental design principles and identify specific mechanistic implementations in immune systems and developmental processes. The research in the lab includes close collaborations with experimental groups and the development of computational methods, with a focus on integrative analysis of multi-omics data (including those for transcriptome, epigenome, and 3D genome). Approaches include statistical modeling, advanced machine learning and biophysics-inspired principled methodologies. Recent representative work from the lab includes
Tcf1–CTCF cooperativity shapes genomic architecture to promote CD8+ T cell homeostasis, Shan Q et al. Nature Immunology, 2022
Tcf1 and Lef1 provide constant supervision to mature CD8+ T cell identity and function by organizing genomic architecture, Shan Q et al. Nature Communications, 2021
Transcriptome-wide stability analysis uncovers LARP4-mediated NFκB1 mRNA stabilization during T cell activation, Tian Y et al. Nucleic Acids Research, 2020
Predicting CTCF-mediated chromatin interactions by integrating genomic and epigenomic features, Kai Y et al. Nature Communications, 2018
For additional information, please visit Dr. Peng’s website (https://blogs.gwu.edu/wpeng/).

Postdocs will design, organize and conduct specialized and advanced experiments using established scientific protocols, troubleshoot and design new protocols, summarize findings and publish results in research journals, under the general supervision of a faculty member. In some cases, postdocs will assume general responsibility for general scientific operations in the lab, and/or provide supervision and guidance to laboratory staff, trainees and other researchers.

Duties:
Data analysis
Present research at conferences
Help to supervise student
Algorithm/methodology development
Interaction with collaborators

A Postdoctoral Associate:
holds a PhD or equivalent degree;
develops skills by participating in scholarly projects that are actively mentored by a member of the university faculty;
receives financial support in the form of a salary that is typically funded by grants, contracts or departmental funds secured by a faculty mentor; and
has a limited term of up to five years at GW.

In collaboration with experienced researchers, this role will participate in the planning and conduction of discovery research, data analysis and interpretation, preparation of materials for publication, presentations at conferences and meetings, and may develop new theories and methodologies. This role can expect timely advice as to research directions and career planning for a future independent career.

Performs other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

Special Instructions to the Applicant:
Appointments are limited-term and are designed for those who have recently received a doctorate. Appointments are made to academic departments with the approval of the department head and may require senior officer approval. Appointments are usually for not less than one term and are normally not renewed beyond a total of five years. This appointment is not intended for long-term, indefinite, or career appointments.

Minimum Qualifications:
Qualified candidates will hold a Doctoral degree or comparable doctoral degree in a related discipline. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position.
Additional Required Licenses/Certifications/Posting Specific Minimum Qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:
PhD in biophysics, computational biology, (bio)statistics, physical science or a similar field.
Strong programming and quantitative background highly preferred.
Prior experience in computational genomics and/or machine-learning approaches are desirable.
Genuine interest in solving biological problems using quantitative approaches.
Highly motivated and a critical thinker.
Ability to communicate effectively and work well in a team.