Hiring

OPEN POSITIONS IN THE TORBETT LAB

The Torbett Lab moved to Seattle Children's Research Institute. Please use the contact information below if you are interested in joining the lab.

Seattle Children’s Research Institute

M/S JMB-7

PO Box 5371

Seattle, WA 98145-5005

betorbet@uw.edu

STUDIES ON HIV EPISTASIS AND EVOLUTION

POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE

The Torbett lab has a long-standing interest in understanding  evolution of HIV at the virological, biochemical, and structural levels in response to anti-retroviral treatment. HIV rapidly evolves and adapts to HIV-drug inhibitors and the immune response and generates resistance, while maintaining viral fitness. The interplay between local and distal viral RNA and protein changes contributing to long-term HIV resistance and fitness remains unclear. The inherent mutability and rapid adaption of HIV to evolutionary pressures has resulted in the use of multiple anti-retroviral inhibitors for treament and the requirement to halt most if not all viral replication to ensure viral suppression and control. We have developed novel sequencing methodologies to follow individual HIV changes at the RNA level in the viral swarm in patients before and after anti-retroviral treatment. The information will allow us to better understand the contribution of viral epistasis in promoting anti-retroviral resistanve and fitness.

Currently, we have an opening for a Scripps Research Postdoctoral Associate (from 0-3 years of previous postdoctoral experience) that will take part in applying novel sequencing methodologies to interrogate HIV evolution, at the RNA, protein and functional level, from patient samples obtained during inhibitor treatment, as well as HIV evolution during tissue culture passage. Experience in virology and RNA biology and sequencing knowledge will be needed. The Postdoctoral Associate will also be a member of the HIV Interaction in Evolution (HIVE) Center (Please see http://hive.scripps.edu), which is focused on obtaining at the atomic level an understanding of the structural and dynamic relationships between interacting human host cell and HIV macromolecules in the HIV life cycle.

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Please provide your resume and 3 references.

STUDIES ON THE EFFECTS OF OPIOIDS ON HIV INFECTION AND LATENCY

POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE

Since the beginning of the HIV epidemic in the U.S., the pathologies of addictive drug use and HIV have been intertwined. Although opioid-related behavior and medical outcomes may increase the risk for HIV transmission and acquisition, opiates likely alter the course of HIV pathogenesis and enhance disease progression. Opioid-mediated cellular mechanisms potentially influence genomic and epigenetic regulation of cellular signalling pathways that alter HIV infection. The role of opioids in the context of latency establishment and/or maintenance remains unclear.

The Torbett Lab, in collaboration with Profs. Laura Bohn (TSRI Florida), Celsa Spina (UCSD), Amalio Telenti (TSRI California) and Davey Smith (UCSD), have joined together with the objective to determine how immunce cell exposire to opioids influences HIV entry, replication, and the establishment of viral latency. Components of the mu opioid receptor (MOR) signal induction pathway may have functional overlap with critical components of immune signaling pathways that exert control over the life cycle of HIV. Our approach is designated to identify the biomolecular interactions between cellular activation pathways and epigenetic controls that are impacted by conventional opioid therapeutics and innovative G protein signaling biased agonists.

Currently, we have an opening for a Scripps Research Postdoctoral Associate (from 0-3 years of previous postdoctoral experience) that will take part in research studies to elucidate the mechanism(s) underlying the effects of opioids on HIV infection and latency. Experience in virology and T cell biology and knowledge of cellular signalling will be needed to undertake the studies. The Postdoctoral Associate will also be a member of the TSRI - UCSD HIV Opioid working group.

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Please provide your resume and 3 references.