EMBL Australia Group Leaders in Audio and Neuro-genomics
Job No:
G898
Location:
Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW
Expression of Interest
EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Group Leaders in Audiogenomics and Neurogenomics hosted at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Expressions of interest are invited from suitably qualified scientists wishing to develop their scientific research career. These two EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Group Leader positions are hosted within the Neuroscience Division at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia.
Benefits:
- Dedicated research leader position as an independent laboratory head, position entitled ‘Garvan Laboratory Head’ and EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Group Leader
- Provision of core research funding and research management support
- Access to career development training opportunities
- Critical mass of outstanding researchers within an excellent collaborative scientific environment, including mentoring from senior researchers
- The opportunity to foster excellence and deliver leadership in a range of medical research projects and to supervise graduate students through UNSW Australia
- State-of-the-art facilities, including genomic sequencing, single-cell genomics, and cellular and animal imaging, and extensive bioinformatics expertise
- Access to EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory development activities (e.g. scientific retreats, reviews, selection panels and student programs)
The EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network
Australia was the first Associate Member State of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). EMBL is an intergovernmental research organisation, distributed across six sites in Germany, Italy, Spain, UK and France. EMBL fosters excellence by providing a highly collaborative environment that benefits the research of all its scientists, whether at graduate, post-doctoral or group leader level. A key initiative of the associate membership is the EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network, a partnership of Australian research institutions which – following EMBL’s operational model - provide long-term funded research-only positions, allowing early to mid-career researchers to pursue ambitious research programs. The Garvan Institute for Medical Research recently joined the Partner Laboratory Network. For more information about EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network, visit www.emblaustralia.org.
Garvan Institute of Medical Research
The Garvan Institute was founded 54 years ago and is one of Australia's largest independent medical research institutions and is at the forefront of next-generation genomic sequencing and analysis in Australia. In 2012, Garvan established Australia’s first purpose-built facility, the Kinghorn Centre for Clinical Genomics, for undertaking clinical-grade genome sequencing and large-scale research projects. This Centre is now one of the largest human genome sequencing and analysis centres in the world, and is developing new machine learning approaches for integrating genome sequences, clinical records and Internet of Things data, putting humans at the centre of biomedical discovery and providing the data ecology for the transformation of the healthcare system.
Genomics, in the broadest sense, now underpins research across all the Institute’s areas of basic science and clinical focus: cancer, diabetes and metabolism, immunology and inflammation, osteoporosis and bone biology, and neuroscience. In addition to strengths in clinical genomics, the Garvan Institute has world-class research capability in epigenetics, biodata visualisation, bioinformatics, imaging and cellular technologies, including single-cell genomics, and antibody development. For more information, visit www.garvan.org.au.
In 2017 the Garvan Institute and Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, established the Garvan-Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics as part of a broader partnership which aims to advance biomedical research, genomic medicine and genomic education.
Researchers in the Neuroscience Division at the Garvan Institute are working to increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underpin the capacity of the human brain to learn and to think, and the alterations in neuronal systems involved in disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, hearing loss and pain.
The Institute’s neuroscientists utilise many techniques, including basic molecular biology, genomics, transgenic animal models, sophisticated imaging and integrated physiology approaches. In particular, they aim to find ways to regenerate the nervous system for therapeutic purposes. The Hearing Research Laboratory has extensive expertise in electrophysiological and imaging methods, including electron microscopy, to characterize the response properties of auditory neurons, study how specific neuron populations are interconnected, identify which neurotransmitters are involved, and determine the alterations in synaptic circuitry that underlie the symptoms of hearing loss.
The Neuroscience Division has strong local links with clinicians at the neighbouring St Vincent’s Hospital and other hospitals in Sydney, as well as researchers at NeuRA (Neuroscience Research Institute), UNSW Australia and the University of Sydney.
The Positions
The Garvan Institute is seeking top-quality researchers with experience in genetics and genomics to develop independent research laboratories within the Neuroscience Division in the following two areas:
- Audiogenomics
- Genomics of hearing loss in humans and/or animal models
- Genomic approaches to study neuroplasticity of the auditory system
It is anticipated that the successful researcher will work with auditory neurobiologists within the Hearing Research Laboratory, as well as clinicians, to advance the understanding of auditory neuroplasticity and hearing loss.
- Neurogenomics
- Molecular neuroscience to study brain development and brain function
- Genomic approaches to study neuroplasticity in any system
- Genetic and genomic approaches to study neurological diseases and neurodegenerative diseases
It is anticipated that the successful researcher will find strong internal collaborations, particularly with neuroscience teams with strengths in basic and clinical neuroscience.
The successful applicants will also participate in the collegial, collaborative culture of the EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network. The candidates will actively support the development of the network by participating in the various programs aimed at internationalising research conducted in Australia through linking activities with EMBL.
Remuneration:
Market-competitive remuneration package will be negotiated with the successful candidates, including highly attractive salary packaging options.
Additional benefits:
- Access to all core facilities at the Garvan Institute, including the Garvan-Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, the Kinghorn Centre for Clinical Genomics, and the Garvan Molecular Genetics facility
- In vivo imaging for small animals, including micro-computed tomography (CT) scanning, fluorescent and bioluminescent imaging and two intravital microscopes
- Mouse Engineering at Garvan/ABR (MEGA), offering an integrated service to generate novel genetically modified mouse lines quickly and cost-effectively using CRISPR/Cas9 technology
- Extensive scientific support services
- Shared campus with St Vincent’s Hospital and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute
The Garvan Institute is committed to gender equity in the workplace and strongly encourages applications from females. The Institute strongly supports female researchers and has established support programs designed to encourage women to remain in the workforce. These include generous paid parental leave, flexible working hours, childcare travel assistance and parenting rooms.
The Garvan Institute also provides attractive benefits and excellent support to maintain a healthy work-life balance and offers generous remuneration benefits, including four weeks’ annual leave (i.e. paid vacation) per year, highly attractive salary packaging options and assistance with visa and relocation expenses.
Contract Term: The appointment will be for a period of five (5) years with the possibility of extension for an additional four (4) years.
Commencement Date: Anticipated commencement is early 2018 or as otherwise agreed.
How do I apply?
To apply, please send a cover letter, full curriculum vitae and a concise statement summarising your research interests (current and future) to Dr Marie Dziadek, Garvan Chief Scientific Officer (m.dziadek@garvan.org.au). A Position Description can be obtained from Dr Dziadek. Applications will be accepted until midnight 6 September 2017 Australian Eastern Standard Time. For this particular vacancy, there is no need to complete the fields below.
Interviews will be held in Sydney, Australia during the week commencing 7 November 2017.