The Lanz Lab is seeking two highly creative, collaborative, and motivated postdoctoral fellows in the fields of structural biology / protein engineering and immunology (this posting is for the structural biology position, for the immunology position, please find the other posting on this page).
The Lanz lab investigates fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms that shape the adaptive immune system are relevant in neuroimmunological diseases and rheumatic diseases with neurological manifestations, which include multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica (NMO), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and vasculitides. We are particularly interested in B cell biology and seek to identify new autoantigens, characterize antigen-antibody interactions, and understand how self-reactive B cells escape tolerance mechanisms. Several projects investigate how Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) contributes to autoimmunity. In all our projects we pursue multidisciplinary approaches in collaboration with physicians and scientists with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. We utilize next-generation sequencing approaches, proteomics approaches, structural biology techniques, animal models, and bioengineering tools to investigate interesting and important research questions and design novel therapeutics for patients with autoimmune diseases.
The successful postdoc will have a background in structural biology, protein biochemistry, bioengineering, or a related field, and a keen interest in applying his or her expertise to fundamental questions in the field of immunology. She or he will be part of a highly collaborative environment and lead one or several projects. Suggested research projects include solving the structure of a complex membrane protein that is a major autoantigen in the brain of MS patients, solving the structure of a cellular adhesion molecule in complex with well-characterized autoantibodies, investigating how posttranslational modifications of antigens contribute to escape from tolerance, characterizing antibody reactivities in sera of autoimmune patients using electron microscopy polyclonal epitope mapping (EMPEM), and utilizing yeast and mammalian displays to de-orphanize autoantibodies. The postdoc will be able to design, carry out, and analyze experiments independently. She or he will also support the other team members and will be the go-to person for protein-related questions. She or he will have experience with data processing and data interpretation and will be responsible for literature review and manuscript preparation. The postdoc will receive individualized mentorship, tailored to her or his background, expertise and career goals. This will include regular meetings with Dr. Lanz and encouragement and support for the preparation of career development awards (e.g. F32 or K99).
The lab is part of the Institute for Immunity, Transplantation, and Infection at Stanford, and located at the Center for Clinical Science Research (CCSR) in the heart of the Stanford biomedical research campus, and in close vicinity of several world-class structural biology labs and core facilities that provide access to up-to-date technology, including the Macromolecular Structure Knowledge Center (MSKC), the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, the Stanford-SLAC Cryo-EM Center (S2C2), and the Protein Engineering Knowledge Center.