Postdoctoral Scientist - Touil Lab - Department of Neurology

About the role

The laboratory of Dr. Hanane Touil is part of the Department of Neurology and Biomedical Sciences at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. Dr. Touil leads a translational neuro-immunology research program that integrates rigorous functional neuro-immune assays with ground-breaking computational approaches to investigate disease mechanisms underlying neuro-immunological disorders. Her research focuses on Multiple Sclerosis (MS), compartmentalized inflammation within the central nervous system, and the molecular and cellular signatures of immunosenescence in both healthy aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Using deeply characterized human bio-specimens and advanced analytical methodologies, the laboratory seeks to identify biomarkers associated with prognosis, treatment response, and disease progression in order to advance early diagnosis and precision medicine strategies aimed at halting disease progression.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Designs and performs experiments.
• Maintains experimental records and documentation and analyzes the results with the Principal Investigator.
• Analyzes, interprets, summarizes, and compiles data.
• Operates and maintains equipment and instruments.
• May observe MD-patient or MD-human research subject interactions as it pertains directly to research being performed.

Department-Specific Duties

• Collaborates with a multidisciplinary research team, including neurologists, computational biologists, bioengineers, neuroscientists, and neuroimaging scientists.
• Processes and manages human bio-specimens (Blood, Serum, Plasma, CSF cells and fluid).
• Performs multi-omics (sc-RNA-Seq, Spectral Flow Cytometry, and proteomics).
• Implements innovative technologies to validate multi-omics findings.
• Performs functional assays including antigen-presentation, phagocytosis, cytotoxicity, and cell proliferation.
• Screens eligible patients with Multiple Sclerosis, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease ensuring compliance with inclusion and exclusion criteria.
• Follows SOPs and safety laboratory standards.
• Supports general laboratory and departmental research activities.
• Affords junior staff supervision as needed.

Qualifications

• Doctorate (MD, PhD, VMD, or DDS) in area directly related to field of research specialization.
• Ability to work independently and in a collaborative team — and should have excellent organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Acquires technical and theoretical knowledge of research project and objectives during one to five (1-5) year postdoctoral appointment.
• Proficiency in cytometry-related software.
• Experience in human or mouse immunology.
• Experience with completing milestone-driven projects.
• Ability to learn new protocols and platforms.
• Ability to employ computational tools to analyze multi-omics findings.
• Demonstrated aptitude to perform experimental protocols and procedures, including detailed data collection, and analysis and operation and maintenance of specialized equipment.
• Knowledge of safety standards and maintenance of specialized equipment.