POSTDOC SEARCH: Lifespan evolution and healthy aging in bats

photocredit: John Hoffman

Background:

To date, most aging studies have been carried out in the laboratory on model species (e.g., mice) which are easy to house and manipulate. However, bats are a fantastic wild-borne alternative to traditional model-based studies. Despite their small body size, many species of bats have independently evolved long lifespans. We are seeking a teacher-scholar for a two year Postdoctoral appointment in bioinformatics. The new hire will be responsible for (1) teaching an upper level bioinformatics course (materials are available) and (2) leading bioinformatic analysis of large-scale comparative genomic datasets. The Wildlife Genomics Lab @ Smith College focuses on the genomic mechanisms underlying phenotypic plasticity and rapid adaptation. Specifically, we use comparative genomic and transcriptomic approaches to understand how life history traits (e.g., lifespan and body size) shift in response to rapid environmental change. PI Lama leads the Bat1k Longevity Project in collaboration with co-PIs (Davalos, Teeling, Ray, among others) who will serve as members of a broad mentorship network for the trainee. This position is a fantastic opportunity to strengthen teaching and service portfolios while contributing to high-impact research. PI Lama secured multiple tenure track offers in 2022 and is well positioned to prepare postdocs for the tenure-track job market, especially those seeking placements at R2, PUI or HBCU institutions. Our research group is committed to maintaining and further developing an equitable and inclusive research environment and we welcome scholars from all backgrounds to apply.

Apply:

We are seeking a two year postdoctoral teacher-scholar to join our team. If interested, please submit this application ASAP. Offers will be extended by June 30th, 2023. Start date December 15, 2023. Contact PI Lama (tlama@smith.edu) with questions or interest about the position.