Department Overview:

The primary mission of the Division of Oncological Sciences at OHSU's Knight Cancer Institute is to better understand cancer through basic, translational and population-based research that improves cancer prevention, detection and treatments for all. Our community of faculty, trainees and staff brings together scientists from a broad range of disciplines and works collaboratively to advance innovation and translate discoveries from the lab into meaningful impacts for cancer patients and our community.

Every Knight Cancer member is expected to embody our guiding principles:

• We act BOLDLY—Breakthroughs require pushing the boundaries of science, exploring new frontiers, and thinking differently
• We SUPPORT each other—Respect leads to trust, which leads to excellence
• We work as a CONNECTED team — We must leverage our collective brain power to conquer cancer because no one individual can do it alone

Function/Duties of Position:

Dr. Agarwal and her team for over past 15 years focusing on identifying novel signaling pathways that are requisite for leukemia initiation, clonal evolution, and drug resistance. This position will be a hybrid between wet lab and computational disciplines, with a dedicated mentorship in both areas. The new team member will help lead the project focused on understanding the mechanisms of leukemia initiation and drug resistance in a context dependent manner. The project will use variety of advanced molecular biology techniques, CRISPR methods along with single cell transcriptomic, epigenetic, and genomic profiling in premalignant and malignant models using murine and human cells in vitro and in vivo. The candidate should also be able to perform complex data analysis, along with downstream analyses using computational approaches. Applicants will need to possess strong technical and organizational skills as well as the ability to manage an independent project.

A PhD with research experience in the relevant field. They are likely to have deep expertise in a singular area of focus but may also have worked as boundary spanners across multiple fields. Laboratory and/or computational experience in the field of molecular/cellular biology, cancer biology or a related field is preferred. Experience with sequencing library preparation, epigenetics, flow cytometry, or murine models of disease would be especially beneficial. Achieving this position requires that the researcher have demonstrated a satisfactory track record of scholarly activity including high-quality peer-reviewed publications. We are looking for an enthusiastic individual who is capable and willing to make maximum use of excellent facilities and a productive environment.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is a pioneer in personalized cancer treatment and research, led by Dr. Brian Druker, whose development of Gleevec transformed Chronic Myeloid Leukemia from a fatal disease to a manageable one and proved that targeted therapies can work. The institute focuses on precision oncology, the early detection, prevention, and treatment of cancer, and creating a welcoming and supportive environment for its caregivers, researchers, and support personnel. Knight affiliates subscribe to three guiding principles: we are bold, we are supportive, and we work as a connected team in our fight to end cancer as we know it. We’d love for you to join us!

Relevant publications for the position are below:

• Yang F, Long N, Anekpuritanang T, Bottomly D, Savage JC, Lee T, Solis-Ruiz J, Borate U, Wilmot B, Tognon C, Bock AM, Pollyea DA, Radhakrishnan S, Radhakrishnan S, Patel P, Collins RH, Tantravahi S, Deininger MW, Fan G, Druker B, Shinde U, Tyner JW, Press RD, McWeeney S, Agarwal A*. Identification and prioritization of myeloid malignancy germline variants in a large cohort of adult AML patients. Blood. 2022, 139(8): 1208-1221 PMC9211447, *Corresponding author. Prospective in ASH Clinical News, Selected for Podcast and Commentary in Blood 2022.
• Kurtz S, Eide CA, Kaempf A, Long N, Bottomly D, Nikolova O, Druker BJ, McWeeney SK, Tyner JW, Agarwal A. Associating Ex Vivo Drug Sensitivity with Differentiation Status Identifies Effective Drug Combinations for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Blood Advances 2022, 6(10): 3062-3067.
• Hosseini MH, Kurtz SE, Abdelhamed S, Mahmood S, Davare, MA, Kaempf A, Elferich J, McDermott JE, Liu T, Payne SH, Shinde U, Rodland KD, Mori M, Druker BJ, Singer JK, Agarwal A. Inhibition of interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase-1 is a therapeutic strategy for acute myeloid leukemia subtypes. Leukemia. 2018, 32(11):2374-87. PMC6558520
• Carey A, Edwards D, Eide C A, Newell L, Traer E, Medeiros B, Pollyea DA, Deininger MW, Collins R, Tyner J W, Druker B J, Bagby G C, McWeeney S, Agarwal A*. Identification of interleukin-1 by functional screening as a key mediator of cellular expansion and disease progression in acute myeloid leukemia. Cell Reports. 2017, 18(13):3204-18. PMC5437102
• Agarwal A, Bolosky BJ, Wilson DB, Eide CA, Olson SB, Fan G, Druker BJ. Differentiation of leukemic blasts is not completely blocked in acute myeloid leukemia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019, 116(49):24593-24599. PMC690050. * Co-corresponding Author- Highlighted in “In This Issue PNAS”.
• Bottomly D, Long N, Schultz AR, Kurtz SE, Tognon CE, Johnson K, Abel M, Agarwal A……. et al; Integrative Analysis of Drug Response and Clinical Outcome in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancer Cell 2022, in press (collaborative manuscript)

Required Qualifications:

• PhD
• Minimum of 4 years as a graduate student
• Specialty: Molecular Biology
• In depth knowledge of specific areas of responsibility
• Ability to operate complex scientific equipment
• Passion for science and inquiry
• Ability to synthesize one’s own results and others to formulate hypotheses
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks at one time
• Must have excellent communication, analytical and organizational skills: both written and verbal
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team while being collaborative in resolving problems
• Ability to work with and supervise junior staff
• Must be proficient with computers running Windows and PC applications e.g. MS Excel, Oracle, Access, Word and PowerPoint)
• Must possess energy and drive to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to maintain effective working relationships
• Must have demonstrated excellent customer service skills both on the phone and in person
• Molecular biology techniques required: RNAi , PCR, primer design, cell culture, transfections, transductions, Western blots, cloning, sequencing

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD degree in science or technology
• Prior experience with the analysis of gene expression and ATACseq dataset
• Experience with murine models, including xenograft implantation and drug treatments, is preferred
• Experience in performing transcriptomic and epigenetic studies is preferred
• Experience with basic bioinformatics skills is preferred

Additional Details:

All are welcome: Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and culturally competent workforce. We are proud of our commitment to being an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization that does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of any protected class status, including disability status and protected veteran status. Individuals with diverse backgrounds and those who promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply. To request reasonable accommodation contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Department at 503-494-5148 or aaeo@ohsu.edu.

As an organization devoted to the health and well-being of people in Oregon and beyond, OHSU requires its employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.