POSITIONS AVAILABLE for POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS
Outstanding scientists having a Ph.D., or M.D. with laboratory research
training in VISUAL NEUROSCIENCE, are wanted to fill positions at the
University of Calgary in western Canada.
Postdoctoral Fellows will be supervised by Dr. William Stell and
stipends guaranteed in the range of $31,000-45,000 (Cdn) per year for
two years, depending on experience and qualifications, to be paid
initially from grant funds. Applicants must have strong background in
cellular and molecular aspects of neuroscience and vision and a solid
record of publication in peer-reviewed neuroscience/vision-research
journals, and must be competitive for external fellowships and
committed to spending at least two years in the host lab.
Research will be supported in either of two areas:
(1) VISUAL CONTROL OF EYE GROWTH AND THE PREVENTION OF MYOPIA. Ocular
growth and refraction are driven postnatally by global stimulation of
ocular enlargement, which is fine-tuned by visual feedback mechanisms in
the retina to produce emmetropia (matching of eye length to focal
power). Our studies indicate that separate, parallel retinal circuits
function to maintain emmetropia in normal eyes, and restore it in myopic
eyes (see Fischer AJ, McGuire J, Schaeffel F and Stell WK (1999)
Light-and focus-dependent expression of the transcription factor ZENK in
the chick retina. Nature Neuroscience, 2:706-712). The aims of ongoing
studies, utilizing techniques of pharmacology, cellular and molecular
biology, are to determine the cellular pathways and synaptic mechanisms
that underlie ocular growth-control in the chick, identify parallel
mechanisms in mammalian models, and develop pharmacological methods for
preventing the development of human myopia.
This research is supported by grants from the National Eye Institute (to
October, 2003) and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (to
March, 2004).
(2) VISUAL TUNING AND INPUT CIRCUITRY OF AMACRINE CELLS.
Amacrine cells are the most varied and numerous of all retinal neurons
and are largely responsible for the fine control of retinal output.
Little is known, however, about their responsiveness to different kinds
of visual stimuli. We have shown that the visual tuning of dopaminergic
amacrine cells in the chick can be studied by using inducible
immunocytochemical activity-markers as well as chemical assays for
transmitter synthesis and release (Rohrer B, Iuvone PM and Stell WK
(1995) Stimulation of dopaminergic cells by stroboscopic illumination
or fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, FGF-2): Possible roles in the
prevention of form-deprivation myopia in the chick. Brain Research,
686: 169-181). Continuing studies will seek to validate the
inducible-marker strategy further, using the dopaminergic interneurons
of chick and goldfish retinas, and then apply it to characterizing
other kinds of amacrine cells in these model systems.
This research is supported by a grant from the Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council of Canada (to April, 2005).
The host lab is located in the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine
and is affiliated with the Lions' Sight Centre as well as the
Neuroscience Research Group (http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~neuro/).
Calgary is a thriving, modern, clean and safe city of almost 900,000, in
full view of the Canadian Rockies. It offers a relatively mild northern
climate, and a wide variety of cultural as well as outdoor activities.
Although some preference will be given to applicants who are Canadian
citizens or permanent residents, all highly qualified candidates will be
considered.
Applicants please send a summary of academic background (courses,
grades, and degrees awarded), previous research experience, and career
goals, plus names and contact information for three professional
references, no later than May 15, 2001, to:
Dr. William K. Stell, Ph.D., M.D.
Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy
University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine
3330 Hospital Drive NW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1
(email) wstell@ucalgary.ca
(fax) 1-403-283-2700
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