Basis Postdoctoral Fellow — Whole-Cell Model-Driven Gene Function Discovery
About the Fellowship
This Basis Postdoctoral Fellowship, in collaboration with The Agmon Lab at the University of Connecticut Health’s Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, presents an opportunity for groundbreaking research in computational biology. This fellowship focuses on revolutionizing the discovery of gene functions through whole-cell models, blending whole-cell modeling with modular simulation and probabilistic inference to automate gene function curation.
About Basis
Basis (https://www.basis.ai/) is a nonprofit applied AI research organization with two mutually reinforcing goals.
The first is to understand and build intelligence. This means to establish the mathematical principles of what it means to reason, to learn, to make decisions, to understand, and to explain; and to construct software that implements these principles.
The second is to advance society’s ability to solve intractable problems. This means expanding the scale, complexity, and breadth of problems that we can solve today, and even more importantly, accelerating our ability to solve problems in the future.
To achieve these goals, we’re building both a new technological foundation that draws inspiration from how humans reason, and a new kind of collaborative organization that puts human values first.
About Eran Agmon’s Group
The Agmon Lab, part of the Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling at UConn Health, is focused on developing comprehensive computational models to understand cellular behavior at multiple scales. Our projects span the molecular basis of cellular processes to the complex interactions within microbial communities, leveraging our open-source platform, Vivarium, to integrate and simulate these multiscale biological phenomena.
Research Focus
As part of this fellowship, you will lead the development and operationalization of a discovery workflow within an established E. coli model, aiming to enhance its predictive accuracy under a variety of conditions. Utilizing extensive datasets and computational resources, you’ll generate and analyze model variants to infer new gene functions and improve the model’s capability.
Who we’re looking for
- PhD graduates in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Systems Biology, or Applied Mathematics with experience in probabilistic modeling, simulation, and data analysis.
- Proficiency in Python programming, with a background in computational biology and high-performance computing considered advantageous.
- Excellent scientific communication skills for collaboration and publication.
Core Responsibilities
- Lead the development of simulation-based workflows for gene function discovery in E. coli.
- Conduct simulations, analyze results, and refine the E. coli model’s predictive accuracy.
- Collaborate closely with Basis and The Agmon Lab teams to process experimental data and validate model predictions.
- Publish findings in high-impact journals and present at international conferences.
Role Details
- Full-time: This fellowship is full-time, spanning 1 to 2 years.
- Location: Based in Farmington, CT, with expected presence at The Agmon Lab and Basis (Boston and NYC). Periodic travel for collaborative events is required.
- Salary: Competitive with comprehensive benefits, including medical and dental insurance.
- Start date: Immediate availability, with the position open until filled.