Postdoctoral Fellow-MSH-30030-293

Salary: $74,692

Department: Microbiology

Physical work location: 1468 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10029

Name PI or Supervisor: Maria Gabriela Noval, PhD

Web link to Lab: https://www.novallab.org/

Web link to Department: https://icahn.mssm.edu/about/departments/microbiology

Administrative Contact: Molly Deroy, molly.deroy@mssm.edu

Details of Research Project: 

While great effort has been given to understanding the reservoirs of alphavirus persistence, the specific viral and host factors that allow for persistence to occur remain unclear. The postdoctoral fellow will focus on answering the following questions: 1) what are the viral mutations that might drive persistence, 2) when does the shift from non-persistent to persistence infections happen, 3) are viral mutations classified as defective viral genomes or are they attenuated viruses, and 4) what is the viral-host interactome of non-persistent versus persistent viruses? 

For that purpose, the postdoctoral fellow will establish complex in vitro models using organoids to recapitulate how viruses persist in tissue-specific sites. The postdoctoral fellow will use replicon reporter systems to evaluate viral mutations over long-term infections in both cell lines and organoids to elucidate site-specific persistent mutations. They will biochemically and virologically characterize mutations that arise during long-term infections to understand how they may contribute to persistence. Additionally, they will perform transcriptomics and RNA-pull down experiments during long-term in vitro infections to characterize the host’s role in generating persistent viruses. Together, these efforts will begin to reveal how persistence may occur through both the lens of the virus and host and may lead to identifying novel targets for therapeutic intervention.

Prior Technical Duties:

• Flow-cytometry
• ELISA
• WB
• ELISPOT
• qPCR
• CyTOF data analyses
• Mouse work

Educational and other Requirements for the position: MD or PhD

Experience Required: MD or PhD

Goals/Outcomes of the Research Project: 

Strength through Unity and Inclusion

The Mount Sinai Health System is committed to fostering an environment where everyone can contribute to excellence. We share a common dedication to delivering outstanding patient care. When you join us, you become part of Mount Sinai’s unparalleled legacy of achievement, education, and innovation as we work together to transform healthcare. We encourage all team members to actively participate in creating a culture that ensures fair access to opportunities, promotes inclusive practices, and supports the success of every individual.

At Mount Sinai, our leaders are committed to fostering a workplace where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to grow. We strive to create an environment where collaboration, fairness, and continuous learning drive positive change, improving the well-being of our staff, patients, and organization. Our leaders are expected to challenge outdated practices, promote a culture of respect, and work toward meaningful improvements that enhance patient care and workplace experiences. We are dedicated to building a supportive and welcoming environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and advance professionally. Explore this opportunity and be part of the next chapter in our history.

About the Mount Sinai Health System:

Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with more than 48,000 employees working across eight hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 300 labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time — discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it. Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes more than 9,000 primary and specialty care physicians; 13 joint-venture outpatient surgery centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and more than 30 affiliated community health centers. We are consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals, receiving high "Honor Roll" status, and are highly ranked: No. 1 in Geriatrics, top 5 in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, and top 20 in Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Neurology/Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology/Lung Surgery, Rehabilitation, and Urology. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked No. 12 in Ophthalmology. U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Children’s Hospitals” ranks Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital among the country’s best in several pediatric specialties. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is ranked No. 11 nationwide in National Institutes of Health funding and in the 99th percentile in research dollars per investigator according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Newsweek’s “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals” ranks The Mount Sinai Hospital as No. 1 in New York and in the top five globally, and Mount Sinai Morningside in the top 20 globally.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Mount Sinai Health System is an equal opportunity employer, complying with all applicable federal civil rights laws. We do not discriminate, exclude, or treat individuals differently based on race, color, national origin, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are deeply committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, students, trainees, patients, visitors, and the communities we serve feel respected and supported. Our goal is to create a healthcare and learning institution that actively works to remove barriers, address challenges, and promote fairness in all aspects of our organization.

Compensation

The Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS) provides salary ranges that comply with the New York City Law on Salary Transparency in Job Advertisements. The salary range for the role is $72500 - $80000 Annually. Actual salaries depend on a variety of factors, including experience, education, and operational need. The salary range or contractual rate listed does not include bonuses/incentive, differential pay or other forms of compensation or benefits.