Post-doctoral position available to study the molecular mechanisms of cell-cell interactions in mammalian development and disease, using mouse as a model system. We focus on the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway which is critical for many aspects of embryonic development, and aberrant regulation of the pathway results in a wide variety of congenital defects and cancers. The two main areas of research interest are: (1) The molecular characterization of the Hedgehog signaling pathway. We wish to understand how the lipidated Hh ligand generates a morphogen gradient and how the Hh signal is transduced in Hh-responsive cells; (2) The roles of Hedgehog signaling in postnatal physiology and homeostasis such as stem cell maintenance and cancer formation. We investigate regulation of neural and pulmonary stem cells by Hh signaling and how aberrant Hh signaling leads to brain tumors and lung cancers. In all of our studies, a combination of mouse genetics (transgenic and knockout mice), cell biology and biochemistry are employed. 

Please visit our webpage at http://www.cvri.ucsf.edu/~chuang/links.html or http://www.ucsf.edu/bms/faculty/chuang.html for more information. 

Please send CV, brief statement of research interests and names of three references to: 
 
Dr. Pao-Tien Chuang Cardiovascular Research Institute University of California, San Francisco Genentech Hall, Room S472B 600 16th Street San Francisco, CA 94158 

E-mail: pao-tien.chuang@ucsf.edu 

The University of California is an equal opportunity employer