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A postdoctoral research position is available in Dr. Virginia Ferguson’s lab in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Colorado at Boulder and in BioServe Space Technologies (a space life sciences research center in the Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences). We are looking for an independent and motivated post-doctoral researcher to study the effects of aging and disease on histological, material and structural contributors to mouse bone mechanical properties. Specifically, our lab focuses on two main research areas in which the selected candidate will be involved: 1) studying the role of bone changes with disuse in microgravity and simulated microgravity and 2) understanding how chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects bone fragility.
The selected candidate will assess mechanical and material properties at a range of length scales (nano to macro), quantitative histological analyses and microscopy (using confocal and backscattered electron imaging), and analysis of bone mineral and organic composition using conventional materials science techniques (micro-Raman, FTIR, AFM, etc.). For both projects (microgravity and diabetes research), statistical correlation analysis will be used to 1) correlate within multiple bone parameters or 2) to correlate bone parameters with other quantitative metrics of physiological effects, collected by research and clinical collaborators, resulting from unloading or disease in a range of tissues/organs (e.g., kidney function in CKD). The selected candidate will be engaged with researchers in our group at CU Boulder and will also interact with the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Applicants must have experience with tissue dissection, microscopy and materials science assays, data collection and analysis, and statistical analysis. A completed PhD degree in Materials Science, Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or a relevant field is required.
Interested candidates should contact Dr. Virginia Ferguson at virginia.ferguson@colorado.edu with "Bone Mechanics Post-Doc" in the email subject line. Applications will be reviewed immediately and will continue until a suitable candidate is hired. Please include in the email: a cover letter, CV, names and contact information of three references, and one or two publications showing the candidate’s previous research experience.
The selected candidate will assess mechanical and material properties at a range of length scales (nano to macro), quantitative histological analyses and microscopy (using confocal and backscattered electron imaging), and analysis of bone mineral and organic composition using conventional materials science techniques (micro-Raman, FTIR, AFM, etc.). For both projects (microgravity and diabetes research), statistical correlation analysis will be used to 1) correlate within multiple bone parameters or 2) to correlate bone parameters with other quantitative metrics of physiological effects, collected by research and clinical collaborators, resulting from unloading or disease in a range of tissues/organs (e.g., kidney function in CKD). The selected candidate will be engaged with researchers in our group at CU Boulder and will also interact with the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Applicants must have experience with tissue dissection, microscopy and materials science assays, data collection and analysis, and statistical analysis. A completed PhD degree in Materials Science, Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or a relevant field is required.
Interested candidates should contact Dr. Virginia Ferguson at virginia.ferguson@colorado.edu with "Bone Mechanics Post-Doc" in the email subject line. Applications will be reviewed immediately and will continue until a suitable candidate is hired. Please include in the email: a cover letter, CV, names and contact information of three references, and one or two publications showing the candidate’s previous research experience.