Biomedical Sciences Blog

The Scientist also released the postdoc annual salary levels for top ranked institutes.

Name Average annual postdoc salary (or salary range)

The J. David Gladstones Institutes San Francisco $51,180
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Seattle $38,974
US Environmental Protection Agency $44,119-63,980
Emory University Atlanta $30,000-55,000
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences NC $40,900-65,000
Fox Chase Cancer Center $39,000
National Institute of Diabetes & Kidney Diseases Bethesda $37,100-67,000
Wadsworth Center New York $37,500
Dalhousie University Canada $39,710 (CAN)
USDA Agricultural Research Service $54,000-65,000
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution $53,000
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research NY $31,700
National Cancer Institute Bethesda, MD $41,000-56,000
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center St. Louis, Missouri $35,000
Vanderbilt University TN $38,000-40,000

Sources: The Scientist

For full coverage of Virginia Tech tragedy, you can click here.

Top 15 research institutes for postdoc in Europe ranked by The

Name Country verage annual postdoc salary (or salary range)

Friedrich Miescher Institute Switzerland 84,000 CHF = 68,000 USD
MRC Laboratory UK UKP 25,000-30,000
University of Bergen Norway 372,000 NOK
Pasteur Institute France €25,200
Umea Plant Science Center Sweden 180,000-210,000 SEK
University of Dundee UK UKP 20,004-43,850
University of Basel Biozentrum Switzerland 63,000-85,056 CHF
ETH Zurich Switzerland 78,000-86,000 CHF
University of Manchester UK UKP 20,044-30,002
The Netherlands Cancer Institute Netherlands €40,000-60,000
Catholic University of Leuven Belgium N/A
University of Helsinki Finland €33,600-36,000
University of Nottingham UK ￡23,457-33445
University of Edinburgh UK ￡20,044

Sources: The Scientist

The Scientist, the magazine of the life sciences, recently released its 5th annual survey result of Best Places to Work for Postdocs. The survey covered 11 categories in which respondents judged their respective institutions. Categories included the quality of mentoring, the level of communication, and opportunities for networking and career development. The most important factor cited was the quality of training and career preparation offered by an institution.

The Top 15 Institutions in North America:

1. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
2. The J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park
4. Genentech, South San Francisco
5. The University of Iowa, Iowa City
6. National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver
7. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park
8. Emory University, Atlanta
9. Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Ithaca
10. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle
11. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla
12. University of British Columbia, Vancouver
13. National Cancer Institute, Bethesda
14. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
15. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Source: The Scientist

I would like to recommend this meeting to people who are interested in studying human disease using model organisms. The first "Genetic Analysis: Model Organisms to Human Biology" meeting was held in 2006. Allan Spradling et al. wrote an excellent report for this meeting: "New roles for model genetic organisms in understanding and treating human disease: report from the 2006 Genetics Society of America meeting.", published in Genetics. Click here for full text, which should be open access and free.

The 2nd GSA Model Organisms & Human Biology (MOHB) Meeting will be held on Jan 5-8, 2008, San Diego, CA. Click here for comfirmed speakers, registration deadline. I am very impressed that 2 noble prize winners will be the keynote speakers: Andy Fire (2006), Richard Axel (2004) along with Francis Collins. If you don't know who Francis Collins is, you really need to google him right away!

EPA is seeking qualified applicants for several positions in the Environmental Media Assessment Group, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park Division (NCEA-RTP). NCEA-RTP plays a vital role in EPA's work to protect against air pollution effects on public health and the environment by assessing and evaluating the scientific information about air pollutants. A major product of this work is the scientific assessment documents that are prepared for the six common pollutants: ozone, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and lead (seehttp://www.epa.gov/ncea). These science assessment documents are a key component in EPA’s review of air quality standards for those pollutants and also serve as a resource for other air pollution work in the EPA and internationally, and they undergo extensive review by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee. The employees will play a key leadership role on assessment of the health or environmental effects of air pollution, particularly for the six criteria pollutants. The incumbent will be a lead author for sections of scientific assessment documents and will participate in public meetings of the CASAC in which draft documents are reviewed. The incumbent will provide scientific expertise to assist EPA’s air pollution program office on assessing the effects of criteria air pollutants, risk assessments and other program needs. The employee will also serve as an expert consultant to the Director of NCEA and other EPA offices, as well as other organizations both nationally and internationally.

NCEA-RTP will be seeking individuals from the following general scientific disciplines with expertise in the effects of exposure to the criteria air pollutants:

· Animal Toxicology
· Human Toxicology (i.e., controlled human exposure studies)
· Human Exposure Assessment

Excellent Benefits: The selected candidate will be eligible for a full benefits package, including health insurance, life insurance, retirement, and vacation and sick leave. U. S. citizenship required.

Salary Range: The salary range is $65,411 to $101,122 per year, commensurate with qualifications.

Qualifications: A bachelor degree is required; advanced degree (e.g. Ph.D.) in toxicology, biology, environmental science or related field is preferred.

How to Apply: We anticipate that these vacancies will be announced in March or April 2007, and will remain open for several weeks. Vacancy announcements will be posted at the NCEA website (http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/ ). Applicants should apply through USAJOBS at www.opm.gov For further information, contact Joann Kelleher at kelleher.joann@epa.gov.

The U.S. EPA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

10th Annual NIEHS Biomedical Career Fair - April 27, 2007, 8:45 AM-4:30PM, EPA Main Campus

The annual NIEHS Biomedical Career Fair, now in its 10th year, is one of the largest assemblies of biomedical organizations and young scientists in the Research Triangle Park, NC. The Career Fair targets graduate and postdoctoral fellows and provides an opportunity for these young scientists to explore a myriad of fields and to create a contact network as they plan for their future careers in the biomedical sciences. There will be panel discussions, as well as exhibitors, from all biomedical research areas. Also, new this year, there will be an organized networking lunch where you will get the chance to interact with panel members in small groups while eating lunch. To see the agenda, direction and other details, go to

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/nta/fair.htm .

Registration is free and available online, so sign up today!

Yi Zhang Ph.D. HHMI and Professor in Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Yi Zhang is a leader in the burgeoning field of epigenetics. His lab recently has made a series of important ground discoveries for understanding the interactions between the chromatin modifications and the control of gene expressions.

He is interested in how epigenetic-mediated dynamic changes in chromatin structure affect gene expression, cell lineage commitment, and cancer development. He also wants to explore the role of epigenetic modification in stem cell biology, including defining the marks that commit and maintain differentiated cells and those that may change a specialized cell into a stem cell or other type of cell.

Check here for his labpage.

His recent publications: (I have to say: this lab works like publishing machine! The bottom-line is JBC...)

Sources: HHMI and UNC-CH