Bioinformatics research assistant in ageing research (large-scale dataset analysis)

The post is funded by a EU POC-A1-A1.1.4-E- 2015 Competitiveness Operational Programme 2014-2020 award, for the development of a „Multi-omics prediction system for prioritization of gerontological interventions” (GERONTOMICS). The duration of the post is one year, extendable for up to 4 years, based on satisfactory performance. The selected candidate will work full-time in the project.

GERONTOMICS aims to use a systems biology approach to combine data from different “omics” levels (e.g.: genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, etc) and from various models of ageing in order to create a large-scale data-driven analysis and prediction platform for experimental interventions in gerontology.
The project will involve both computational aspects (data aggregation and processing, multidimensional data analysis, network-based methods, systems theory approaches, etc) as well as wet-lab experiments (some of the predicted interventions will be tested in vivo), with a highly multi-disciplinary team.

Candidates should be highly motivated with a BSc in a Biology-related field or an IT-related field, with excellent command of the English language. Additional competencies in biology of ageing are an advantage.

As a bioinformatician the candidate’s responsibility will be to:
- Design and carry out analysis of large-scale data,
- Develop new methods of analysis if needed (including ways to integrate and analyse multiple datasets)
- Interpret results and create adequate mathematical/computational models in relation to the biology of ageing,
- Contribute to the automation of the analysis process for large-scale datasets
- Support the rest of the team in the implementation of computational algorithms (machine learning, neural networks etc), and evaluating their performance, for pattern searching through the results from large-scale analyses

While not the main focus of the post, being in an interdisciplinary team will also offer the successful candidate the opportunity to train in other fields than his/her own (e.g. gerontology, theoretical and experimental biology, bioinformatics, computer science, statistics and systems biology).

The post will require the succesful candidate to be able to present his/her work to the rest of the group and occasionally might also require him/her to attend and present at national and international meetings. Depending on the existing skill set and the candidate’s career goals, attendance to various training courses could also be available.

For any formal or informal inquiries (e.g. discussing ideas of fun team building activities), prospective students and postdocs are encouraged to contact me by e-mail at: robi.tacutu@gmail.com.