Postdoctoral Fellow: Integrative Genetics in Hematological Disease

The Lettre lab at the Université de Montréal and the Montreal Heart Institute is looking for a postdoctoral fellow (or research associate) in computational human genetics to advance research in the study of blood diseases. Our lab has access to some of the largest genetic datasets and is part of an international collaborative network that focuses on the identification of novel genetic associations, genes and pathways that control non-malignant hematological diseases. The candidate will contribute to one or more CIHR- or NIH/NHGRI-funded projects using whole-genome sequencing, single-cell RNA-Seq, and proteomics data. Analysis tasks include: (1) genetic association analysis in multi-ancestry samples for blood-cell phenotypes, (2) biomarker and drug target prioritization in sickle cell disease using molecular data (including single-cell RNA-seq and proteomic data) and advanced methodologies (e.g. Mendelian randomization), and (3) optimization of polygenic risk scores for blood disorders.

The candidate will work with Dr. Guillaume Lettre, Professor of Medicine at the Université de Montréal and the Montreal Heart Institute as part of an interdisciplinary team, including geneticists, bioinformaticians and computer scientists, and molecular biologists. The applicant will play a major role in determining new research directions and in drafting manuscripts and presenting results at professional meetings. The Lettre Lab has published in journals such as Nature, Nature Genetics, Cell, Blood, American Journal of Human Genetics, and PLoS Genetics.

Candidates should have a Ph.D. in human genetics, biostatistics, bioinformatics, or related quantitative field, with previous experience in analysis of large-scale omics data and strong programming skills in R/Bioconductor and Python. Specific experience with genetic association and single-cell analyses are of added interest. Candidates should also have excellent communication (oral and written) and documentation skills, adhere to reproducible research standards, and work well in teams and interact with all levels of staff.

Qualified candidates should submit their resume, the names of two references, and a cover letter to Dr. Guillaume Lettre (guillaume.lettre@umontreal.ca). Promising candidates will be invited for interviews and a presentation. Funding for this position is available immediately, but start time is flexible.