Updated November 2010
New immediately available opening. Postdoctoral position on a novel comprehensive approach to control bacterial resistance to antibiotics of different primary mode of action. The research involves elucidation of the mechanism of genes that individually control bacterial antibiotic resistance to the above-mentioned classes of antibiotics both in vitro and in vivo (mouse model) ; and participation in a multidisciplinary high throughput screening of small FDA-approved compounds for silencing these genes. Strong molecular biology background is required as well as demonstrated productivity. Competitive salary and benefits. Apply by email to Professor A. C. Matin (a.matin@stanford.edu). Some examples of the work underpinning the above approach can be found by following the publication link in this website; more recent work is not yet published.
Currently available postdoctoral positions – Matin group
1. Basic and translational studies on our newly discovered cancer prodrug therapy, CNOB/ChrR. See: Thorne S., Barak Y., Liang W., Rao J., Contag C.H., and A. Matin. 2009. CNOB/ChrR6, a new prodrug enzyme chemotherapy. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 8(2): 333-341. (Follow the publication link.) PMCID: PMC2670992. Since this publication, we have learnt a good deal about the PK/PD of this therapy; have visualized both the prodrug (CNOB) and the toxic agent (MCHB) non-invasively within living mice and tumors; have further improved ChrR and crystallized it. The incoming postdoctoral fellow will participate in ongoing work aimed at eliminating intratumoral penetration barriers by non-invasive visualization and developing nanoparticle-based delivery systems for the gene and the prodrug specifically to cancer cells (emphasis is on prostate and breast cancer). This is collaboration between Dr. Matin and Stanford chemists, oncologists and molecular imaging experts. See also: Zhao, H., R. Nolley, Z. Chen, and D. M. Peehl. Tissue slice grafts: an in vivo model of human prostate androgen signaling. Am J Pathol 177:229-39; Guo P, Martin CR, Zhao Y, Ge J, Zare RN. General method for producing organic nanoparticles using nanoporous membranes. Nano Lett. 2010, 10, 2202–2206
2. Development of single cell MRI technology using genetically-encoded iron-based reporters. See: Benoit, M., D. Mayer, Y. Barak, I. Chen, W. Hu, Z. Cheng, S. Wang, D. Spielman, S. Gambhir, and A. Matin. 2009. Visualizing implanted tumors in mice with MRI using magnetotactic bacteria. Clinical Cancer Research 15 (16): 5170-5177. (Follow the publication link.)MRI is the most sensitive clinically translatable imaging modality. Current work is concerned with enhancing the effectiveness of MRI in tracking stem cells and cancer metastasis at a single cell level using heritable (instead of exogenous) contrast agents, so as to avoid the problem of contrast dilution upon cell division. This is collaboration between Dr. Matin and Stanford scientists who have pioneered single cell detection by MRI; stem cell biologists; and physicists who have developed highly sensitive technologies for detecting magnetic moment permitting dissection of determinants of the MRI signal and its optimization. See also: Heyn C, Ronald JA, Mackenzie LT et al. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging of single cells in mouse brain with optical validation. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 2006. 55:23-29; Guzman R, Uchida N, Bliss TM et al. Long-term monitoring of transplanted human neural stem cells in developmental and pathological contexts with MRI. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007. 104:10211-10216; Koshnick N, Huber, ME, Bert, JA, Hicks, CW, Large, J, Edwards, H, Moler KA. A Terraced Scanning SQUID Susceptometer with Sub-Micron Pickup Loops. Applied Physics Letters 2008; 93:243101.
Requirements. Previous experience in cancer research is highly desirable; demonstrated evidence of research productivity. Apply to Dr. Matin at the email below:
a.matin@stanford.edu
