Opportunities
Keratoconus genetics and cell biology Study
We have a postdoctoral fellowship position to investigate keratoconus, a degenerative disease of the cornea. We are performing whole exome sequencing studies of keratoconus subjects to identify the genetic causes of keratoconus. We have identified genetic variants that regulate oxidative stress, extracellular matrix, primary cilium and cytoskeleton. Planned projects will explore functions of candidate genes and variants using human cornea organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem cell, and genetically altered mouse models. This candidate should have significant training in genetics, computational biology, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and training in standard cell culture and protein analyses. The ideal candidate should be highly motivated, able to work independently and in a collaborative setting.
Interested candidates should apply by email by sending their current CV and names of three references to Dr. Chakravarti at Shukti.Chakravarti@nyulangone.org
Graduate Students
Below are some research topics that may be of interest to potential students.
- Genetic studies of keratoconus on familial and isolated cases using whole genome and exome sequencing approaches.
- Gene editing in induced pluripotent stem cells and development of cornea organoids for functional studies of novel keratoconus variants. These studies will establish functions of novel genes in the cornea and their relevance to corneal diseases.
- ECM-immune cell interactions and their implications in infections and autoimmunity. Lumican, decorin, biglycan and fibromodulin are proteoglycans of the ECM that regulate collagen fibril architecture and interact with immune cells. We have several projects that are ready to address how these proteoglycans interact with immune cells and their consequences on innate and adaptive immunity.
