Postdoctoral Associate - Disney Lab

 Job Description:  

Effective immediately, the Disney group in the Department of
Chemistry at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical
Innovation & Technology (https://disney.scripps.ufl.edu) is seeking to hire
a Postdoctoral Associate in RNA Chemical Biology. 

Lab Overview: 

The Disney group is a chemical biology laboratory focused on
developing rational approaches to design highly selective therapeutics from
only genome sequence. Known for its prolific output and pioneering research
culture, the group has furthered advancements in annotating RNA structure from
sequence alongside several novel technologies created in-house. The
laboratory’s targeting of RNA by small molecules, an ambitious and highly
focused enterprise in pursuit of chemical probe and lead medicine development,
is summarized in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery (2023) 618(7963): 169–179. 

Other representative publications from the Disney group
include: 

• Studying disease mediated by RNA repeat expansions that
cause genetically defined ALS and dementia: 

o Science Translation Medicine (2021) 13:eabd5991; doi:
10.1126/scitranslmed.abd5991 

o Neuron (2014)
83:1043-50; doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.07.041 

o Cell Chemical Biology (2019) 26:179-190; doi:
10.1016/j.chembiol.2018.10.018 

• Targeted RNA degradation and related technologies: 

o Nature Reviews Drug Discovery (2023) 618(7963): 169–179;
doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06091-8 

o Journal of the American Chemical Society (2021)
143:13044-13055; doi: 10.1021/jacs.1c02248 

o Science Translation Medicine (2021) 13:eabd5991; doi:
10.1126/scitranslmed.abd5991 

o Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (2020)
117:2406-2411; doi: 10.1073/pnas.1914286117 

o Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (2019)
116:7799-7804; doi: 10.1073/pnas.1901484116 

o Journal of the American Chemical Society (2018)
140:6741-6744; doi: 10.1021/jacs.8b01233 

o Nature Chemical Biology (2017) 13:188-193; doi:
10.1038/nchembio.225 

• Precision targeted therapeutics for difficult-to-treat
cancers and other diseases: 

o Journal of the American Chemical Society (2019)
141:2960-2974; doi: 10.1021/jacs.8b10558 

o Cell Chemical Biology (2018) 25:1086-1094; doi:
10.1016/j.chembiol.2018.05.01 

o Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (2016)
113:5898-903; doi: 10.1073/pnas.1523975113 

o Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (2020)
117:1457-1467; doi: 10.1073/pnas.190505711 

Our Commitment: The Disney group is highly committed to each
individual’s professional development during his or her time in the lab. A high
impact research project and training plan to support the achievement of
short-term as well as long-term career goals is customized for each student. 

Expected Salary:  

Commensurate with experience.  

Required Qualifications:  

Qualified applicants should have completed a relevant Ph.D.
degree in structural biology, chemical biology, or organic/medicinal chemistry. 

Preferred:  

Preference will be given to candidates with strong skills in
RNA biology techniques, molecular biology, and biochemical methods. Previous
experience with RNA-seq data analysis, DNA encoded library design and
screening, and structure-based design is also desirable.  

Highly motivated candidates possessing a strong academic
track-record, a high-impact publication list, a team-player mentality, and an
interest in targeting the RNA world are poised for success in the group.  

The Disney group employs a broad range of experimental
techniques, and thus a wide set of research skills is preferable, and a
willingness to learn new methods is essential.  

Special Instructions to Applicants:  

In order to be considered, you must upload your cover letter
and resume. 

The final candidate will be required to provide official
transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be
considered "official" if a designation of "Issued to
Student" is visible. Degrees earned from an education institution outside
of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional
credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential
Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/. 

Please provide names and email addresses of three to five
references as part of the UF application process. When ready, the hiring
department will contact the listed references via email requesting their
reference letters to be uploaded directly to the application website. 

This position is open until filled. Application review will
begin May 29, 2026.  

This is a time-limited position.  

This requisition is being used to fill multiple
positions.  

The University of Florida is a member of the State
University System of Florida and an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified
applicants will receive consideration for employment based on merit. 

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply
for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at
800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF. 

Health Assessment Required: No.