Postdoctoral Associate – Neurobiology of Alcohol Addiction & Stress Full-time NEW

The Sabino and Cottone Laboratories at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Associate to join our research program investigating the neurobiological mechanisms underlying alcohol use disorder (AUD), stress, motivation, and related neuropsychiatric disorders.

A major focus of the laboratories is understanding how stress-related neuropeptide systems and defined neural circuits contribute to excessive alcohol drinking, alcohol dependence, withdrawal-associated negative affect, and other behavioral manifestations of AUD. Current and developing projects investigate neuropeptide systems including pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), somatostatin (SST), and others, with particular interest in the extended amygdala and related stress and motivational circuits.

The laboratories use an interdisciplinary approach integrating behavioral neuroscience, neuropharmacology, molecular and cellular neuroscience, neuroanatomy, viral-vector approaches, transgenic mouse models, and circuit-specific manipulations.

The successful candidate will take a leading role in funded research projects and will have substantial opportunities to develop scientific independence, pursue new research directions, publish findings, present at scientific meetings, mentor junior researchers, and contribute to manuscripts, fellowship applications, and research grant proposals.

Research Program and Responsibilities

The Postdoctoral Associate will lead studies investigating neuropeptide and neural circuit mechanisms underlying alcohol use disorder, stress, motivation, and negative affect.

Responsibilities include:

• Designing and conducting rodent behavioral neuroscience experiments.
• Performing stereotaxic surgery, viral-vector delivery, chemogenetic/DREADD manipulations, and studies using transgenic mouse models.
• Conducting molecular, histological, and neuroanatomical studies, including RNAscope/in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, microscopy, and cellular colocalization analyses.
• Analyzing and interpreting behavioral, molecular, and imaging data and preparing findings for publication and scientific presentation.
• Contributing to manuscripts, grant applications, mentoring, and collaborative laboratory research.

As new funded projects are launched, the incoming Postdoctoral Associate will also play an active role in re-establishing and optimizing the laboratory’s experimental infrastructure and workflows. Working closely with the Principal Investigators and a Research Assistant, the Postdoctoral Associate will help set up, validate, and refine behavioral, surgical, viral, histological, molecular, and imaging procedures; establish reproducible protocols; organize experimental workflows and research resources; and help ensure that new studies can be initiated efficiently and rigorously.

This aspect of the position provides an opportunity for substantial scientific ownership during an important phase of laboratory growth. The Postdoctoral Associate will contribute not only to ongoing experiments, but also to the development of the experimental systems, procedures, and research practices that will support the laboratory’s next phase of funded work. Routine organizational and support responsibilities will be shared with research staff.

Required Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Neurobiology, Psychology, Biology, or a related field.
• Experience with rodent neuroscience research and stereotaxic surgery.
• Demonstrated ability to design experiments, analyze data, troubleshoot research problems, and interpret findings.
• Strong scientific communication, organizational, and collaborative skills, with a commitment to rigorous and reproducible research.

Preferred Experience

Candidates with experience in several of the following areas are especially encouraged to apply:

• Behavioral neuroscience and behavioral pharmacology, particularly rodent models relevant to alcohol or other substance use disorders, stress, motivation, or negative affect.
• Stereotaxic and circuit-neuroscience approaches, including viral-vector delivery, chemogenetic/DREADD approaches, retrograde strategies, and transgenic mouse models.
• Neuropeptide and stress-system neurobiology, including PACAP, CRF, SST, or related signaling systems.
• Molecular, histological, and neuroanatomical approaches, including immunohistochemistry/immunofluorescence, RNAscope or other in situ hybridization methods, cellular colocalization, and fluorescence/confocal microscopy.
• Quantitative analysis of behavioral, molecular, histological, or imaging data, including statistical analysis and scientific data visualization.

A strong record of research productivity, including first-author peer-reviewed publication(s), is preferred.

Previous experience with every approach listed above is not required. Candidates with strong expertise in behavioral neuroscience and stereotaxic surgery, together with demonstrated scientific rigor and the ability to learn and implement new experimental approaches, are encouraged to apply.

Candidate Profile

We are particularly interested in candidates who are intellectually curious, highly motivated, dependable, rigorous, and interested in taking scientific ownership of their research.

The successful candidate should demonstrate excellent attention to detail, effective independent time management, persistence in troubleshooting experimental problems, adaptability as research questions evolve, and the ability to critically evaluate data and incorporate constructive scientific feedback.

The position is particularly well suited to a researcher who enjoys integrating behavioral neuroscience with molecular, neuroanatomical, pharmacological, and circuit-level approaches and who would value the opportunity to contribute substantially to the scientific and experimental development of an expanding research program.

Training and Career Development

The Postdoctoral Associate will receive close scientific mentorship while progressively developing greater research independence. Opportunities will include developing new research questions, designing experiments, preparing manuscripts and grant applications, presenting research at scientific meetings, mentoring junior laboratory members, and preparing for the candidate’s next career stage.

Boston University provides a broad and highly collaborative research environment with opportunities for interdisciplinary research, seminars, scientific training, and professional development.

Appointment and Compensation

This is a full-time postdoctoral appointment at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.  Salary will be based on relevant postdoctoral experience and Boston University compensation guidelines. The position includes applicable Boston University employee benefits.

Application

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Interested candidates should submit and email the following documents:

• Curriculum vitae
• A cover letter describing previous research experience, relevant technical expertise, current research interests, and career goals
• Contact information for three professional references

The laboratory is also looking for a skilled research technician, so those interested in that position should also apply.

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