RESPONSIBILITIES

The microscopy screening group at EMBL - Heidelberg, is seeking a postdoc in bioinformatics. Research in this group applies automated fluorescence microscopy to identify genes required for mitosis and other disease related processes in genome-wide RNA interference screens in human cells. Such experiments routinely generate several TBytes of digital images of cellular phenotypes. Quantitative measurements of the phenotypes are extracted by computerized image processing resulting in multidimensional phenotypic signatures for each suppressed gene.The successful candidate will work within the â??Experimental Network for Functional INtegration,â?? (ENFIN) which aims to make computational systems biology accessible to bench scientists. His/her task within our laboratory will be to subject our high-throughput phenotypic data to bioinformatic analyses. This will, at first, require standardization of such phenotypic data by defining a minimal annotation of RNAi experiments (MARIE) within local databases. Secondly, this data will be integrated with the ENFIN platforms and mined to identify and characterize functional gene networks. Close interactions with other groups within ENFIN will allow to develop and optimize suitable data analysis tools (e.g. sequence and evolutionary conservation analyses, predictions of protein structures, protein interactions and posttranslational modifications).

REQUIREMENTS:
Ph.D. in natural or computer science is required. Applicants should have extensive bioinformatics experience, including programming. (Applicants with a molecular biology background should be able to demonstrate a record of programming skills, whereas applicants with computer science background should document a strong interest in biology at a research level). Additional qualifications in the fields of image processing, database development and/or statistics would be an advantage. Excellent organization and communication skills and the ability to work independently in an interdisciplinary and international team are expected.

LOCALE:
Heidelberg, Germany

HOW TO APPLY:
Please email a detailed CV with concise description of research experience and the names and addresses of at least three referees, quoting BIO/05/PD/32 in the subject line to: application[at]embl.de

DEADLINE:
19 February 2006

http://www.embl.org