The Wright Lab is seeking an enthusiastic postdoctoral associate to lead an exciting project aimed at understanding the language of intercellular communication in the microbiome. The successful candidate will apply methods that have recently been developed in the Wright Lab for high-throughput interrogation of intercellular signaling molecules. The project will involve deciphering the molecular basis of microbial communication with small molecule mass spectrometry and bioinformatics. This research provides the opportunity to elucidate the context-dependent language that microorganisms use to communicate and apply that knowledge to manipulate the microbiome.

This project is funded by the NIH and is part of an ongoing collaboration between the Wright Lab and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), a DOE laboratory in Richland, Washington. The project is now in its fourth year, which has resulted in a treasure trove of mass spectrometry data awaiting the successful candidate. This postdoc position will provide exposure to state of the art mass spectrometry instruments and techniques, as well as the development of new methods to decrypt the language of microbial communication.

The Wright Lab is a multi-disciplinary hybrid wet/dry lab at the University of Pittsburgh. We are part of a broader effort to make the University of Pittsburgh a leader in applying evolution to the improvement of medicine. The university consistently ranks in the top 10 nationally for biomedical research funding.

QUALIFICATIONS: Qualifications for this position include a PhD in microbiology, ecology, chemistry, evolutionary biology, or a related field. Ideal candidates would have experience with the analysis of mass spectrometry data, natural products, and/or computer programming.

TO APPLY: Please email applications (including cover letter and curriculum vitae) to Dr. Erik Wright (eswright@pitt.edu). The position starts as early as November 2021.