Neurology Postdoc - Volpicelli-Daley

Position Details

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Position Information

Job Title Neurology Postdoc - Volpicelli-Daley Department Name 311500000 Neurology Chair Office School/College School of Medicine Job Description

The Volpicelli-Daley lab is seeking an Aligning Science Across Parkinson's disease post-doctoral research fellow to study the impact of microglia on neuronal alpha-synuclein aggregate processing. This position will provide access to unique networking across the NIH and industry, career building, and presentation opportunities. Funding is currently in place for three years.

Parkinson's disease is the most common motor neurodegenerative disorder. Formation of alpha-synuclein aggregates and brain inflammation are key hallmarks of this neurodegenerative disease. Dysfunction of lysosomes has been implicated in both of these processes and can drive PD pathogenesis. The goal of the project is to utilize induce pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines with PD associated gene variants differentiated into microglia and neurons. The impact on lysosome function and pathologic alpha-synuclein processing will be determined.

Key responsibilities:

• Culture and differentiate microglia and neurons from iPSCs.
• Perform assays for lysosome dysfunction.
• Measure turnover and aggregation of alpha-synuclein.
• Design experiments in collaboration with Dr. Volpicelli-Daley.
• Collect and store data in an organized manner to yield clear, error-free results that are easily analyzed and shared with the scientific community.
• Maintain e-notebooks on a regular basis so that experiments can be easily replicated by others and data can be easily found.

Birmingham, AL has a relatively low cost of living and minimal commute times with vibrant food scene and year-round outdoor activities.

Required Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship
• PhD in biomedical science
• Experience with cell culture
• Evidence of project leadership; able to drive direction of project from hypothesis generation to final publication
• Be able to proactively optimize and troubleshoot experiments using latest techniques
• Should enjoy the challenge of deconstructing an experiment and determining what worked and what failed and rebuilding the experiment to more robustly generate data that will influence the -PD field
• Ability to pivot strategies when faced with technical or conceptual hurdles
• Proficient in English language and scientific writing
• Ability to work in collaborative team environment

Desirable qualifications

• Experience with cell biology
• Experience with neurodegenerative disease
• Willingness to help junior graduate students and technicians

Preferred Qualifications

Posting Detail Information

Posting Number PF1068P Open Date 08/14/2026 Close Date Open Until Filled Yes Nondiscrimination Statement

UAB is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution dedicated to providing equal opportunities and equal access to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, sex (including pregnancy), genetic information, age, disability, religion, and veteran's status. As required by Title IX, UAB prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to UAB's Assistant Vice President and Senior Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX notice of nondiscrimination is located at uab.edu/titleix.

Special Instructions for the Position Pre-employment Background Check

A pre-employment background check investigation is performed on candidates selected for employment.

About University of Alabama at Birmingham

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• Did you do a postdoctoral program at another institution?

(Open Ended Question)

• Did you do a postdoctoral appointment at UAB in Birmingham? If so, what year did you begin your appointment?"

(Open Ended Question)

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae

Optional Documents

• Cover Letter