POSTDOCTORAL POSITION
in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
Applications are sought for a full-time, NIH-funded postdoctoral scholar position at Indiana University at Bloomington (IUB). The successful candidate will be a team member of the interdisciplinary research program in the laboratory of Dr. Hui-Chen Lu (http://www.lulaboratory.com/) in the Gill Center at IUB.
See for details http://www.indiana.edu/~gillctr/Lu.shtml.
The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. degree in a neuroscience-related discipline and have a track record of seeing projects through to completion. This candidate should be able to carry out scientific projects independently with scientific rigor. The candidate will join a dynamic and diverse center of excellence that hosts internationally recognized collaborating research teams in the field of neuroscience and cannabinoid research (Bradshaw, Hájos, Hohmann, Katona and Mackie labs). This nurturing environment has a dedicated goal to develop young researchers into independent investigators.
The quality of life in Bloomington is outstanding. The combination of a large, R1 research university with a diverse, safe, family-oriented community and with the vibrant college town-atmosphere makes Bloomington an ideal environment for work-life balance.
Applications should include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and the email addresses and phone numbers of three references. Salary will be commensurate with experience and will follow NIH NRSA post-doc guidelines. Candidates with extensive post-doctoral research experience and a strong track record may be considered for appointment as an assistant scientist (IUB’s equivalent of a research assistant professor).
E-mail: hclu@indiana.edu
Research Topic:
Cannabis use continues to be high among adolescents and is increasing in young adults. This is a significant public health issue as heavy cannabis use during this period is linked to an increased risk for developing affective, addictive, or psychotic disorders later in life. We are interested to determine whether adolescent cannabis use disrupts the maturation of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), critical for working memory and executive function. We have developed a mouse model of adolescent cannabis use by adolescent administration of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary intoxicating component of cannabis and found enduring deficits in PFC-mediated behaviors. With support from NIDA, we aim to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these findings and evaluate mechanism-based potential therapies to reverse the behavioral and cognitive abnormalities caused by adolescent THC. A combination of electrophysiology, multi-photon imaging, super-resolution imaging, viral vectors, molecular and biochemical approaches will be exploited to accomplish this research goal.