Reference #: 1008277 SHIFT:Day (United States of America)

Job Description

A Brief Overview Assume responsibility for an on-going, innovative research project as a Postdoctoral Fellow at CHOP. Our postdoc experience will broaden your skillset, scientific background, and research capabilities.

CHOP's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion CHOP is committed to building an inclusive culture where employees feel a sense of belonging, connection, and community within their workplace. We are a team dedicated to fostering an environment that allows for all to be their authentic selves. We are focused on attracting, cultivating, and retaining diverse talent who can help us deliver on our mission to be a world leader in the advancement of healthcare for children.

We strongly encourage all candidates of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

Responsibilities * Participate in project planning, recording, and evaluation of data. * Conduct independent scholarly research, developing new methods and protocols under the guidance of a mentor (principal investigator). * Acquire technical, lab management, and grant writing skills. * Participate in seminars, lectures, poster sessions, national presentations, and professional workshops. * Supervise junior lab members. * Assist with other research projects as needed. Education Qualifications Doctorate (required)

About the Laboratory We are recruiting for a postdoctoral position in the laboratory of Dr. Robert O. Heuckeroth at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Our goal is to find new ways to diagnose, treat and cure people with intestinal motility disorders. We focus on enteric nervous system and intestinal smooth muscle biology, but many cell types, nutrients, and microbes impact bowel motility so studies cover diverse topics. To pursue this work we use mouse models, human tissues and cells, stem cells, primary culture, biochemical methods, imaging, RNAseq, gut microbiome and metabolome data, coupled to human genetics and clinical information. We value rigorous quantitative work, innovation, and routinely pursue collaborative studies to take advantage of diverse skills needed to understand bowel motility. Our multidisciplinary team includes basic scientists and clinical GI motility experts at the Suzi and Scott Lustgarten Center for GI Motility as part of a newly established Frontier Program at CHOP.

Bowel motility refers to coordinated patterns of contraction and relaxation needed to digest and absorb nutrients and to eliminate waste. To perform these tasks, intestinal smooth muscle is controlled by pacemaker cells and the enteric nervous system (ENS). The ENS has 20 neuron types and 4 types of glia. These ENS cells respond to stretching, gentle brushing of the epithelial surface, and to luminal nutrients in collaboration with enteroendocrine cells. Based on this sensory information the ENS "decides" on appropriate motility patterns and also controls intestinal blood flow and epithelial function. In addition, there are complex interactions between the ENS and bowel immune cells that appear relevant for bowel motility disorders and other types of bowel disease.

When cells that control bowel motility work well, we are unaware of their activity and can pursue our life goals. Unfortunately, for many people, bowel motility is not normal, causing difficulty swallowing, early satiety, abdominal distension, vomiting, constipation, and growth failure. Life-threatening bowel motility disorders include achalasia, gastroparesis, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, and Hirschsprung disease.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability or protected veteran status.