Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Mechanisms of Pediatric Cancer Dependencies

About the role

A postdoctoral research associate position is available in the lab of Christopher Vakoc.

The Vakoc laboratory in the Division of Molecular Oncology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to investigate the molecular mechanisms that create therapeutic vulnerabilities in pediatric cancers. Our research asks why cancer cells become dependent on particular transcription factors, chromatin regulators, signaling proteins, and their associated protein complexes—and how those dependencies might be exploited for treatment.

The fellow will lead an independent project that moves from a compelling cancer dependency to a mechanistic explanation. Projects may begin with findings from genetic screens or with a defined biological question in a pediatric cancer model.

The goal is to determine why a dependency exists: which molecular function is required, how it controls gene expression or cell state, and what makes cancer cells especially sensitive to its disruption. The work will combine genetic perturbation with approaches such as epigenomic and transcriptomic profiling, protein interaction studies, and functional analysis in cancer models.

We are looking for a scientist who enjoys designing decisive experiments and following unexpected results. The strongest candidates will have experience in cancer biology, molecular biology, genetics, or gene regulation; a working understanding of CRISPR-based screening and its interpretation; and an interest in using genomic and epigenomic data to build and test mechanistic hypotheses. Expertise in every method is not required. Scientific curiosity, experimental rigor, independence, and the ability to connect results across different approaches are essential.

The fellow will work in a collaborative environment with access to expertise in functional genomics, computational biology, and pediatric cancer. This position offers the opportunity to develop a distinct research direction while contributing to the discovery of new cancer drug targets.

Applicants should hold a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree and submit a CV, a brief statement of research interests and relevant experience, and contact information for references.

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