Postdoctoral Research on Visual Systems Development
Children's Hospital Research Foundation has begun a well-funded initiative in Visual Systems Development. This is a combined endeavor of the Division of Developmental Biology and the Division of Ophthalmology. Postdoctoral positions are available in the following areas:
Early Eye Development
Applications are invited for NIH-funded Postdoctoral positions to study the cell-cell signaling and morphogenesis required for early development of the vertebrate eye. Currently, the project is focused on the nature of inductive signals exchanged between presumptive lens and presumptive retina and how FGF and BMP signals are integrated. Selected publications in this area include:
- Altmann, et al (1997). Lens induction by Pax-6 in Xenopus laevis. Developmental Biology, 185, 119-123.
- Williams et al (1998). A highly conserved lens transcriptional control element from the Pax-6 gene. Mech. Development, 7, 225-229.
- Chow et al (1999). Pax6 induces ectopic eyes in a vertebrate. Development, 126, 4213-4222.
- Chow and Lang. Early development of the vertebrate eye (2001) (review). Annual Reviews in Cell and Developmental Biology, 17, 255-296.
- Dimanlig et al (2001). The upstream ectoderm enhancer in Pax6 has an important role in lens induction. Development, 128, 4415-4424.
- Faber et al (2001). Fgf receptor signaling plays an important role in lens induction. Development, 128, 4425-4438.
Vascular Development Applications are invited for NIH-funded Postdoctoral positions to study the mechanism of programmed capillary regression in the context of normal eye development. The projects will involve the study of macrophage regulation of angiogenesis, vascular regression and apoptosis using techniques of molecular genetics and cell biology in the mouse. We are currently investigating role of the recently implicated Wnt signaling pathway as well as the action of angiopoietins. Selected publications include:
- Lang and Bishop (1993). Macrophages are required for cell death and tissue remodeling during development of the mouse eye. Cell, 74, 453-462.
- Lang et al (1994). Apoptosis during macrophage- dependent ocular tissue remodelling. Development, 120, 3395-3404.
- Meeson et al (1996). A relationship between apoptosis and flow during programmed capillary regression is revealed by vital analysis. Development, 122, 3929-3938.
- Diez-Roux and Lang. (1997). Macrophages induce apoptosis in normal cells in vivo. Development, 124, 3633-3638.
- Meeson et al (1999). VEGF deprivation-induced apoptosis is a component of programmed capillary regression. Development, 126, 1407-1415.
- Diez-Roux et al (1999). Macrophages kill capillary cells in G1 phase of the cell-cycle during programmed vascular regression. Development, 126, 2141-2147.
- Kato et al (2002). Abnormal osteoblast proliferation, low bone mass and persistent embryonic eye vascularization in mice deficient in Lrp5, a Wnt coreceptor. J. Cell Biology, 157, 303-314.
- Lobov et al (2002). Angiopoietin-2 displays VEGF-dependent modulation of capillary structure and endothelial cell survival in vivo. PNAS, 99, 11205-11210.
Applicants should be highly motivated, preferably have prior experience in one or more of the areas of developmental, molecular and cell biology and be available for interview in the continental US. Postdoctoral positions are available for 2-4 years at a salary level of $30-40,000/year depending upon experience. Qualified senior postdoctoral associates may be assigned a member of the technical staff to assist with experimentation. Interested candidates should send CV, research summary and three letters of recommendation to:
Professor Richard A. Lang
Emma and Irving Goldman Scholar
Developmental Biology Division and
Department of Ophthalmology
Children's Hospital Research Foundation
Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039
E-mail: Richard.Lang@chmcc.org
Tel: 513-636-7030
Fax: 513-636-4317
