Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Dentistry, Department of Oral and Craniofacial Biology

Position Responsibilities:

The Philips Institute for Oral Health Research is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to join the laboratory of Dr. Chunhao (Chris) Li at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Dentistry, Department of Oral and Craniofacial Molecular Biology. This position provides research duties essential to the success of the Faculty, Postdocs and students in the Li’s laboratory. The candidate will be working on host-pathogen interaction focusing on oral pathogens, a research project that is currently supported by NIDCR, NIH. The candidate will be performing routine research activities as assigned, including expression and purification of recombinant proteins, construction of bacterial mutants, and testing various bacterial virulence factors in vitro and in vivo. The candidate must be able to direct and interpret experiments, assist in writing papers and grant applications, and devise new experiments.

Required Qualifications:

• The candidate must have at a Ph.D. degree or equivalent degree in the field of microbiology, biochemistry, immunology, or cell biology.
• Prior experience working on anaerobic bacterial pathogens (especially bacterial genetics and protein biochemistry) is required.
• Must be self-motivated, eager to learn, and reliable.
• Attention to detail in experimental techniques and record keeping is critical.
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and experience and ability to work independently.
  
• Must have strong organization skills and ability to maintain the regulatory documents for laboratory research involving animals.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience with anaerobic bacterial culture, genetics, and protein biochemistry is a plus but not required.

ORP Eligibility: Yes