The group of Holger Knaut at NYU School of Medicine seeks highly motivated, detail orientated, and passionate Ph.D. or M.D. graduates with experience in cell biology, fluorescence microscopy or biophysics to explore projects related to the regulation of cellular behaviors during morphogenesis in the context of live animals using quantitative imaging, genetics and computational modeling.
The goal of our group is to decipher the physical, molecular and cellular principles underlying dynamic cell behaviors during morphogenesis. We hope that uncovering these principles will provide an understanding of how normal cell dynamics contributes to development and homeostasis and why perturbations cause defects and disease.
Current models our lab uses to understand dynamic cell behavior are the assembly of neurons into clusters (Lewellis S et al. Journal of Cell Biology. 2013), the tissue movement of sensory organs (Venkiteswaran G et al. Cell. 2013, Wang J et al. Developmental Cell. 2018) and the formation of the coronary artery network in zebrafish (Nagelberg D et al. Current Biology. 2015). To interrogate these processes we use classical genetics, genome engineering, advanced fluorescence microscopy and computational modeling, often in collaboration with other laboratories.
Our group is located in the Skirball Institute of the NYU School of Medicine in midtown Manhattan (New York City). The Skirball Institute is a premier institution for biomedical research. The institute focuses boldly Ｏn basic research. It also provides excellent core facilities and a supportive environment for interactions between its labs and the clinical disciplines at NYU Langone Medical Center. With a strong awareness that most medical breakthroughs originate in basic research, the medical center has allocated considerable resources in developing a state-of-the-art, modern, interdisciplinary research unit right in the center of the medical school environment.
Candidates should have a recent MD, PhD or MD/PhD degree and a strong background in cell biology, fluorescent microscopy or biophysics. Although not essential, candidates with experience in the use of animal models are encouraged to apply. Please send a cover letter explaining relevant work experience and interests, a CV, and the contact information of three references to Dr. Knaut at holger.knaut@med.nyu.edu.
