About City of Hope

City of Hope is an independent research and treatment center for diabetes, cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Bringing together the best in bench-to bedside research, City of Hope’s Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute (AR-DMRI) is one of the world’s most comprehensive diabetes research programs.

City of Hope has a long and impressive history of groundbreaking discoveries in the field of diabetes spanning more than five decades since Rachmiel Levine, M.D., who discovered the role of insulin in glucose transport, launched diabetes research at City of Hope in the 1970s. The Institute is named for Arthur D. Riggs, Ph.D., another pioneer in the field famous for his work on synthesizing the first man-made gene and using synthetic genes to produce human insulin, now the standard of care for people with diabetes worldwide. The AR-DMRI is headed by Debbie Thurmond, Ph.D., a renowned research scientist, professor and founding chair of the Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology.

City of Hope is also home to seminal National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) programs, such as the Human Islet Research Network (HIRN) and the Integrated Islet Distribution Program (IIDP), that lead the field of diabetes in diabetes research and translational potential.

City of Hope is located in Los Angeles, California, with community clinics throughout Southern California. It recently acquired Cancer Treatment Centers of America, extending its national reach. One of only 53 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the nation, it has been ranked as one of "America's Best Hospitals" in cancer by U.S. News & World Report for over 15 years. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of immunotherapy and clinical islet cell transplantation for diabetes, bone marrow transplantation and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs, many based on technology developed at the institution.

City of Hope’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We believe diversity, equity and inclusion is key in serving our mission to provide compassionate patient care, drive innovative discovery, and advance vital education focused on eliminating cancer and diabetes in all of our communities. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ensures we bring the full range of skills, perspectives, cultural backgrounds and experiences to our work -- and that our teams align with the people we serve in order to build trust and understanding. We are dedicated to fostering a community that embraces diversity - in ideas, backgrounds and perspectives; this is reflected in our work and represented in our people.

Position Summary

A Postdoctoral Fellow position is immediately available in the laboratory of Dr. Ke Ma, Associate Professor, at the Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute within Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, CA.

The Ma lab applies state-of-the-art circadian biology, molecular and cellular biology approaches to diabetes and obesity research, with an ultimate goal to unravel circadian etiologies underlying the current epidemics of metabolic diseases for targeted therapeutic interventions. We have a unique research program in deciphering the mechanistic underpinnings of circadian clock control in metabolic tissue development, growth and functional capacity, focusing on skeletal muscle and adipose tissue biology. Recent projects expand into drug screening platforms to identify clock-targeting small molecules for metabolic disease applications.

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow with strong enthusiasm for metabolic disease or stem cell research to study molecular signaling mechanisms underlying circadian clock function in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Candidates with strong training in biochemistry, cell biology and molecular biology techniques with in vivo mouse model research background are preferred, and prior experience with circadian biology or metabolic research is a plus. Utilizing biochemical and molecular biology approaches combined with genetic animal models, specific research directions in the lab include: 1) genetic and epigenetic signaling networks mediating circadian clock nutrient-sensing function in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle; 2) circadian clock regulation of skeletal muscle growth and metabolism; 3) novel signaling mechanisms in core circadian clock regulation, and 4) developing small molecule clock-modulators for metabolic disease therapy.

Basic education, experience and skills required for consideration:

· PhD in Molecular, Cellular or Developmental Biology with a strong interest to pursue metabolic disease research

· Proficiency with biochemical techniques, molecular biology skills and cell culture systems.

· Experience with in vivo animal model research, biochemistry, cell biology and animal physiology preferred.

· Experience with metabolic, epigenetics and stem cell research along with bioinformatics analysis a plus.

· Highly motivated with strong interest in metabolic disease research.

· Strong work ethic and ability to work effectively in a team.

Additional Information:

As a condition of employment, City of Hope requires staff to comply with all state and federal vaccination mandates.

· For more information on Dr. Ma’s lab please visit here: https://www.cityofhope.org/ke-ma

· For a list of publications please visit here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1nGzbI8hm7LQU/bibliography/public/

· To apply, please provide your current CV, a brief research statement describing your background, experiences and career goals, and a list of three references.