<p style="margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;line-height:18px;font-family:Arial,'Trebuchet MS','Lucida Grande',Verdana,Tahoma;font-size:12px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><strong style="margin:0px;padding:0px">Postdoctoral scientist - Genomic variation discovery through visual analytics</strong></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;line-height:18px;font-family:Arial,'Trebuchet MS','Lucida Grande',Verdana,Tahoma;font-size:12px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">SymBioSys is a consortium of computational scientists and molecular biologists at the University of Leuven, Belgium focusing on how individual genomic variation leads to disease through cascading effects across biological networks (in specific types of constitutional disorders and cancers). We develop innovative computational strategies for next-generation sequencing and biological network analysis, with demonstrated impact on actual biological breakthroughs.</p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;line-height:18px;font-family:Arial,'Trebuchet MS','Lucida Grande',Verdana,Tahoma;font-size:12px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">The candidate will be a key player in the SymBioSys workpackage that focuses on genomic variation detection based on <strong style="margin:0px;padding:0px">next-generation sequencing data</strong> (454, Illumina, PacBio) using a <strong style="margin:0px;padding:0px">visual analytics</strong> approach (i.e. combining machine learning with interactive data visualization). This includes applying and improving existing algorithms and tools for the detection of <strong style="margin:0px;padding:0px">structural genomic variation</strong> (insertions, deletions, inversions and translocations), as well as developing interactive data visualizations in order to investigate <strong style="margin:0px;padding:0px">parameter space</strong> of these algorithms. These methods will be applied to specific genetic disorders in day-to-day collaboration with the human geneticists within the consortium.</p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;line-height:18px;font-family:Arial,'Trebuchet MS','Lucida Grande',Verdana,Tahoma;font-size:12px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">We offer a competitive package and a fun, dynamic environment with a top-notch consortium of young leading scientists in bioinformatics, human genetics and cancer. Our consortium offers a rare level of interdisciplinarity, from machine learning algorithms and data visualization to fundamental advances in molecular biology, to direct access to the clinic. The University of Leuven is one of Europe’s leading research universities, with English as the working language for research. Leuven lies just east of Brussels, at the heart of Europe.</p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;line-height:18px;font-family:Arial,'Trebuchet MS','Lucida Grande',Verdana,Tahoma;font-size:12px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><strong style="margin:0px;padding:0px">Profile</strong></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;line-height:18px;font-family:Arial,'Trebuchet MS','Lucida Grande',Verdana,Tahoma;font-size:12px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">The ideal candidate holds a PhD degree in bioinformatics/genomics and has good analytical, algorithmic and mathematical skills. Programming and data analysis experience is essential. Prior experience working with sequencing data, i.c. alignment of next-generation data, as well as genome-wide detection of genetic variation would be a distinct advantage. Experience in data visualization - e.g. using tools like D3 (<a href="http://d3js.org/" rel="nofollow" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(130,17,34);text-decoration:none;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:solid;border-bottom-color:rgb(226,226,226)">http://d3js.org</a>) or Processing (<a href="http://processing.org/" rel="nofollow" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(130,17,34);text-decoration:none;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:solid;border-bottom-color:rgb(226,226,226)">http://processing.org</a>) - would also be considered a big plus. Good communication skills are important for this role.</p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;line-height:18px;font-family:Arial,'Trebuchet MS','Lucida Grande',Verdana,Tahoma;font-size:12px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">The candidate will collaborate closely with researchers across the consortium and contribute to the reporting of the project. Qualified candidates will be offered the opportunity to work semi-independently under the supervision of a senior investigator, mentor PhD students, and contribute to the acquisition of new funding. A three-year commitment is expected from the candidate. Preferred start date is November/December 2012.</p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;line-height:18px;font-family:Arial,'Trebuchet MS','Lucida Grande',Verdana,Tahoma;font-size:12px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><strong style="margin:0px;padding:0px">Relevant publications</strong></p>
<ul style="margin:0px 0px 16px 40px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial,'Trebuchet MS','Lucida Grande',Verdana,Tahoma;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><li style="margin:0px 0px 5px;padding:0px;line-height:1.5em;clear:both;border:none">
Conrad D, Pinto D, Redon R, Feuk L, Gokumen O, Zhang Y, Aerts J, Andrews D, Barnes C, Campbell P et al. Origins and functional impact of copy number variation in the human genome. Nature 464:704-712 (2010)</li><li style="margin:0px 0px 5px;padding:0px;line-height:1.5em;clear:both;border:none">
Medvedev P, Stanciu M & Brudno M. Computational methods for discovering structural variation with next-generation sequencing. Nat Methods 6(11):S13-S20 (2009)</li><li style="margin:0px 0px 5px;padding:0px;line-height:1.5em;clear:both;border:none">
Nielsen CB, Cantor M, Dubchak I, Gordon D & Ting W. Visualizing genomes: techniques and challenges. Nat Methods 7:S5-S15 (2010)</li></ul><p style="margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;line-height:18px;font-family:Arial,'Trebuchet MS','Lucida Grande',Verdana,Tahoma;font-size:12px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<strong style="margin:0px;padding:0px">Application</strong></p><p style="margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;line-height:18px;font-family:Arial,'Trebuchet MS','Lucida Grande',Verdana,Tahoma;font-size:12px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
Please send in PDF: (1) a CV including education (with Grade Point Average, class rank, honors, etc.), research experience, and bibliography, (2) a one-page research statement, and (3) two references (with phone and email) to Dr Jan Aerts (<a href="mailto:jan.aerts@esat.kuleuven.be">jan.aerts@esat.kuleuven.be</a>), cc Dr Yves Moreau (<a href="mailto:yves.moreau@esat.kuleuven.be">yves.moreau@esat.kuleuven.be</a>) and Ms Ida Tassens (<a href="mailto:ida.tassens@esat.kuleuven.be">ida.tassens@esat.kuleuven.be</a>).</p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 16px;padding:0px;line-height:18px;font-family:Arial,'Trebuchet MS','Lucida Grande',Verdana,Tahoma;font-size:12px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">URL: <a href="http://www.kuleuven.be/bioinformatics/" rel="nofollow" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(130,17,34);text-decoration:none;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:solid;border-bottom-color:rgb(226,226,226)">http://www.kuleuven.be/bioinformatics/</a></p>
<div><br></div>================================<br>Dr Jan Aerts<br>Assistant Professor<br>Faculty of Engineering - ESAT/SCD<div>University of Leuven<br>Kasteelpark Arenberg 10 bus 2446<br>3001 Leuven-Heverlee<br>Tel: +32 16 321053<br>
Fax: +32 16 321970</div><br>