If you're interested in a potential postdoctoral position, we're looking for those candidates who are eager to develop new and independent lines of research in our lab. The reason for this is simple: to successfully obtain a faculty position in the future, it's imperative you standout as a free thinker and daring experimentalist. Of course, once here, postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to pursue additional projects that are within our current focus. This philosophy benefits everyone since our current research will be advanced and you'll establish your own independent line of study.

With this in mind, I ask all who apply for a postdoctoral position to write a brief ~4 page proposal outlining the specific independent biological question you'd like to pursue in my lab. The proposal should be along the lines of what you'd write to obtain a fellowship like ones from the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, Life Sciences Research Foundation, Helen Hay Whitney Foundation, or Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund.

The proposal should fall within the scope of cellular ubiquitin regulation, which encompasses nearly anything, but it should be different than our current avenues of study, which are nuclear protein quality control and chromatin regulation. Be creative in the question you'd like to address; that is, look for the big unanswered question in whatever aspect of biology you're interested. Think of unique approaches to answer that question including how modern genomic or proteomic techniques could be leveraged to address your question. Also, because we'll be expanding into other model organisms, think of how you might use what you learn in yeast to discover analogous processes in worms, mice, human cells, etc.

Writing this proposal serves two purposes: (1) I can assess your scientific creativity and (2) you will have written a proposal that you can submit for independent fellowships, which is an important step for a postdoctoral fellow.

In addition to your proposal, please have three people who are intimate with your research capabilities send along letters of recommendation by e-mail.

I look forward to reading your proposal, and perhaps a future interview.