Post-doctoral Research Fellow

Description:

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), a globally recognized pediatric healthcare and research institution, is seeking a Post-doctoral Research Fellow in Molecular Medicine with a focus on computational biology. The role is funded by Genome Alberta and is based in Toronto, ON, with collaboration opportunities with colleagues in Alberta and within the Parkinson Lab at SickKids.

The research focuses on gut microbiome pathways affecting health and disease, using the chicken gut microbiome as a model to study microbial interactions through genomics, systems biology, and computational modeling. Recent work includes developing metabolic models of microbial communities to identify keystone taxa, and the current project aims to identify stable gut communities that can support poultry health and wellbeing.

Responsibilities:

• Process and analyze metagenomic datasets from poultry samples.

• Generate metabolic reconstructions for identified taxa.

• Perform in silico modeling of microbial communities using University of Toronto’s high-performance computing resources.

• Develop and enhance modeling platforms to incorporate non-metabolic features reflecting the gut environment.

• Benchmark and validate analytical tools used in research.

• Contribute to drafting manuscripts, submitting sequencing datasets to public repositories, and contributing code to the project GitHub.

• Participate in a dynamic team to translate microbiome research into practical applications for gut health.

• Disseminate research findings through publications, presentations, and seminars.

Qualifications & Competencies:

• PhD in bioinformatics, computational biology, or related field.

• Expertise in computational programming, specifically R and Python.

• Knowledge in linear algebra, constraint-based modeling (e.g., flux balance analysis), metagenomics, metabolic reconstruction, and high-performance computing.

• Creative, motivated, and able to work both independently and collaboratively.

• Strong communication skills.

Perks & Benefits:

• Opportunity to work in a world-leading pediatric research environment.

• Access to advanced computational and laboratory resources.

• Collaborative, supportive, and inclusive work culture.

• Professional growth through mentorship and team-based research initiatives.