A postdoctoral position is available to study the molecular pathogenesis of Chlamydia trachomatis and other zoonotic species of the family Chlamydiaceae in the laboratory of Deborah Dean, MD, MPH, Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, UCSF; Affiliate Faculty, UCSF Global Health Sciences; and Affiliate Faculty, UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Graduate Program in Bioengineering.

The Dean Laboratory is focused on the evolution, pathogenesis and clinical translational science of C. trachomatis and other Chlamydiaceae spp. using state of the art techniques in comparative and functional genomics/metagenomics, proteomics, bacterial genetics, molecular and cell biology, immunology, real-time confocal microscopy, dual RNA-seq, bioinformatics, and biostatistics and epidemiology to advance our knowledge in the field. In addition, the lab is designing rapid point-of-care (POC) diagnostics for C. trachomatis sexually transmitted and ocular infections to be deployed globally. 

Projects include:  analysis of up- and down-regulated pathways in chlamydial infected primary urogenital and ocular cells using dual RNA-seq; comparative genomics of Chlamydia spp. to decipher virulence determinants, evolution and recombination mechanisms; metagenomics of clinical urogenital and ocular microbiota along with analysis of immune responses to Chlamydia among patient cohorts at high risk for STIs and/or trachoma from various developing countries to advance knowledge of host-pathogen interactions that facilitate or thwart chlamydial infection and/or persistence; and epidemiologic and biostatistical analyses of these cohorts to identify socio-demographic and behavioral risk factors for Chlamydia  and other co-pathogen infections to design appropriate intervention strategies.

Opportunities are available for mentoring UCSF medical students and/or UC Berkeley undergraduate students who rotate through the lab, including full time research year round and/or in the summer. These students often complete an honors thesis.  Candidates with a strong interest in teamwork and linking basic research with clinical relevance are encouraged to apply.

The applicant should possess a Ph.D. or M.D. or M.D./Ph.D. and experience in some of the following areas: molecular and cell biology, immunology, bacterial genetics, genomics/metagenomics and bioinformatic and/or biostatistical analyses. Training will also be provided in these areas. The appointment is renewable annually based on performance.  Salary will be commensurate with the NIH pay scale for postdoctoral fellows and includes full health, dental and vision coverage, and accrued vacation and sick leave.

Professor Dean’s Laboratory has a number of collaborations with investigators at Imperial College, London; Emory University; Louisiana State University, Georgia Institute of Technology; CDC; UC Berkeley; Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; National Institute of Health, Hanoi, Vietnam; the Ministry of Health, Fiji; and biotech companies/start-ups in the Bay Area that will advance novel discoveries to improve health care.

Interested individuals should send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae and the names of three references (phone number and email) to Professor Deborah Dean at:  [email protected] 

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California San Francisco is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.