The Marine Microbiomics Lab (https://www.marinemicrobiomics.com/) under the supervision of Prof. Shady Amin at NYU Abu Dhabi is seeking a highly motivated Research Assistant who is interested in the broad area of the microbiome and its influence on host health, physiology, adaptation and evolution. Our lab works on a broad range of ecosystems, organisms and questions related to host-microbiome interactions, human health, environmental microbiology and biogeochemistry. Examples of active projects in the lab are:

The role of the coral microbiome in its adaptation to heat stress: we are using corals in the Arabian Gulf that are acclimated to significantly higher temperatures than corals worldwide to decipher coral-microbiome interactions that will enable us to develop evidence-based coral probiotics, which may help save corals elsewhere.

Deciphering drug metabolism by gut microbiome bacteria: Differences in effective doses and side effects of prescription drugs between individuals is now thought to be mediated largely by the composition of the gut microbiome. We are using metabolomics to map out chemical transformations of prescription drugs by gut microbiome members in the hopes of achieving effective personalized medicine.

Developing a new toolkit to study microalgae-microbiome interactions and their influence on ocean biogeochemistry: Microalgae drive the export of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere into the deep ocean and their interactions with their microbiome control carbon fluxes from/to the atmosphere; however, studying these extremely important relationships is difficult given that the host (microalgae) is a microbe. We are developing novel microfluidics and single-cell genomics and metabolomics techniques to unravel this hidden world that sustains life on Earth.

Causes, impacts and solutions to harmful algal blooms: Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a common phenomenon in today’s marine environment. We are monitoring, sampling and dissecting these events using cutting edge multi-omics techniques (genomics, metabolomics, etc) to study these events in Abu Dhabi as well as the Gulf of Mexico to better devise solutions to mitigate this increasing problem.

Characterizing the biogeochemistry of the Arabian Gulf: The Arabian Gulf is the hottest body of water on Earth, yet it is the least studied body of water on the planet. In collaboration with the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, OceanX, and through the Arabian Center for Climate and Environmental Sciences, we are conducting periodic research expeditions in the Gulf to characterize nutrient concentrations, plankton biodiversity and chemical diversity that will help us build accurate models to predict the effect of climate change on life in the Arabian Gulf.

Why join us? We are an inclusive lab that deeply values and is dedicated to increasing diversity in STEM. Lab members are highly diverse in their career stages (undergraduate and graduate students, research technicians, postdoctoral scientists), ethnicity and gender to name a few. There are many opportunities not just for conducting cutting-edge research that can lead to high-profile publications, but there are also opportunities for professional development that will enable successful candidates to advance their career in the future.

Responsibilities of the Position

Responsibilities will vary by the project the candidate will join, but in general may involve growing microalgae and bacteria in the lab, conduct experiments with model systems and analyze data, bioinformatics data analysis, field sampling from the Arabian Gulf. We also have plenty of research cruise opportunities.

The candidate will also work on individualized research projects under the supervision of the faculty during the duration of his/her tenure

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in the biological sciences, environmental/marine sciences, chemistry or a closely related field.

• Proficiency in English, both reading/writing and speaking, equivalent to IELTS 6.0.

Preferred Experience

Have experience in any of the following:

• Biological lab work.

• Knowledge of computer languages, such as python or R.

• Marine field work experience.

• Statement of interest in the position

• Transcript of degree(s)

• CV

• Two letters of recommendation

UAE nationals are encouraged to apply

This position is under the NYUAD Kawader program, for details regarding the program, open dates, specific program requirements, and FAQ's please refer to our NYUAD Kawader webpage: https://nyuad.nyu.edu/en/about/careers/postdoctoral-and-research/kawader-research-assistantship-program.html

For further information or questions regarding the position/program please contact nyuad.kawader@nyu.edu (due to the high volume of emails received, please allow 5 working days for a response)

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