We seek a postdoctoral fellow to participate in a five-year NSF funded collaboration between research groups at University of Notre Dame, Indiana University, Bloomington, the University of Missouri, New York Medical College and Emory University. This project develops a multi-scale (genetic, cellular and supercellular) understanding of complex organ formation, focusing on avian limb development as a model for general organogenesis. The project has experimental, computational, and theoretical components. The theoretical/computational goal is to develop an integrated simulation of limb development based on our existing reaction-diffusion equation framework and simulations of cell sorting and chemotaxis in cell aggregates. Our objective is to integrate additional cell level processes (formation of extracellular matrix, haptotaxis, and cell anisotropy) and subcellular descriptions (gene expression and regulation, modelling of cell signaling, cytoskeletal properties) to produce a flexible net-distributed package that can be customized to model other embryonic organogenesis. Experimental goals include quantitative studies of cell adhesion, molecule distributions, measurements of cell mechanical properties (surface tensions and viscosities), chemotactic secretion and response, tracking of gene expression and production of cell adhesion molecules and ECM production during limb formation.

The applicant should have a strong background in modelling and analysis of pattern formation in biology including knowledge of properties of reaction diffusion-systems and should have extensive experience in computer simulation of complex systems. Ph.D.'s in Mathematical or Theoretical Biology, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science or Physics will all be considered.

The starting date for this position will be November 1, 2002. Initial appointments will be for one year, renewable for up to three years.

Please send inquiries or applications to:
Prof. Mark Alber, Tel.: (574) 631-8371