Keiko Torii Lab; Howard Hughes Medical Institute and University of Texas at Austin
Multiple postdoctoral positions are available to study the forefront of plant developmental biology, specifically the mechanisms of stomatal development and signal integration/specificity. The project will be in collaboration with an international, diverse and inclusive team of experts in developmental genetics, genomics and proteomics, cell biology/live-cell imaging, bioinformatics, and structural biology. The successful candidates will be actively participating in one of the following projects:
Project 1: Decoding Signal Specificity and Integration ~ Stomatal Development vs. Immunity, Receptor-Kinase Dynamics & Signaling Recent Refs: Chen and Torii 2023 PMID: 37433278., Chen et al. 2023 PMID: 36539597; Qi et al. 2020 PMID: 32795387, Zeng et al. 2020 PMID: 32816968.
Project 2: Unraveling the Interface of Cell Cycle- Cell Fate Specification in the plant epidermis Recent Refs: Han et al. 2018 PMID: 29738710, Han and Torii 2019 PMID: 31075538, Han et al. 2022 PMID: 35148836, Zuch, Herrmann et al. 2023 PMID: 36609867.
Project 3: Plant Adaptation to Extreme Environment through Re-wiring of Signaling Pathways to Epidermal Differentiation Recent Ref: Ikematsu et al. 2023 PMID: 36696900.
We highly welcome creative minds and encourage those applicants who would like to propose a new project and acquire independent research fellowships/grants.
Solid backgrounds in basic molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, or genetics, and a demonstrated record of scientific productivity (e.g. a first-authored research manuscript) are required. For project 3, previous experience and skills in tissue culture, transformation, and gene editing are a real plus. Previous experience in plant biology is not a prerequisite. However, all Torii lab members are expected to grow their own plants for his/her/their own experiments and meticulously maintain transgenic/mutant lines. A candidate must have strong communication and analytical skills, must be self-motivated and success-driven, and be able to work in a team as well as independently.
Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience; and based on the HHMI or NIH scale. The positions will be initially available for one year, with yearly renewal, up to five years, based on the successful annual performance reviews and funding availability. Preference will be given to candidates within two years past PhD.
Send a CV and a cover letter (1-2 pages) outlining your research program and career goals. Indicate the specific project you would like to pursue from the above. We highly welcome creative candidates who have his/her/their own ideas to develop the project. Please provide the names and contacts of 3-4 referees to:
Prof. Keiko Torii
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin
ktorii@utexas.edu (toriilabmanager@gmail.com)
https://www.plant-stomata.org/
HHMI and University of Texas are Equal Opportunity Employer and encourage applications from diverse backgrounds.
