The Martin Lab (www.martinpainlab.com) in the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto is recruiting a full-time postdoctoral fellow in the area of Behavioral Neuroscience to screen novel small molecule therapies based on psychedelics and related compounds for mental health disorders. Initial experiments will require the candidate to establish an automated head-twitch detection system to assess novel compounds aimed at the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor. The laboratory has an extensive global network of academic, industrial, and governmental collaborators. Our group offers a highly dynamic, collaborative, innovative research environment with state-of-the-art technology and instruments.
This position is in partnership with Dalriada Drug Discovery (www.dalriadatx.com), a small molecule drug discovery company supporting global innovators through its TURN-KEY™ model. With all R&D operations in Mississauga, Canada, Dalriada has built expert teams in MedChem, Biology and ADME to allow for the most rapid project advancements and value building.
Job description
There is a significant opportunity for improved next-generation therapies to address mental health disorders. The past several years have yielded a massive amount of preclinical and clinical knowledge regarding using psychedelic and related compounds to treat these disorders. There is a significant opportunity to deliver enhanced small molecule therapies building on the existing and emerging knowledge of psychedelics’ mechanism of action. The successful candidate will develop and lead a research project that tests the biological effects of novel small molecule therapeutics based on psychedelics.
Position start date: Immediately
Job site: University of Toronto, 3359 Mississauga Rd, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6
Status: Full-time, 12-24 months contract
Desired Skills and experience
The candidate should have completed their Ph.D. degree in Behavioral Neuroscience, Biology, Psychology, Pharmacology, or a related discipline. The successful candidate will be a highly motivated, goal-oriented and self-driven individual ready to work independently and in a team environment. The ideal candidate has experience using rodent models to support preclinical development and screening of drug candidates.
Required:
- Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience, Biology, Psychology, Pharmacology, or related discipline.
Preferred Qualifications
- Comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of neuroscience with a background in receptor pharmacology
- Collection, analysis and interpretation of data sets and proposal of follow-up experiments based on data trends
- Troubleshoot and optimize automated behavioural analyses. Familiarity with DeepLabCut or a similar platform would be an asset but is unnecessary.
- Track record of academic excellence
- Strong skills in written and oral communication
- Ability to work effectively independently and as a team member is a prerequisite.
Interested candidates are asked to submit a CV and a cover letter to lj.martin@utoronto.ca with the subject line “Martin-Dalriada Postdoctoral Fellowship application.”
Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. Please apply by September 1, 2022. Only successful applicants will be contacted for an interview.
This position is open to Canadian citizens, Permanent Residents and International Applicants.
The University of Toronto is an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to achieving accessibility by providing accommodation for people with disabilities during our hiring process. Accommodation is available on request for qualified candidates during the recruitment process.
Contact information
Loren Martin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, University of Toronto Mississauga
Canada Research Chair in Translational Pain Research
Department of Psychology, CCT Building, Room 4061
3359 Mississauga Rd, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6
PH (office): 905-569-5784, PH (lab): 905-828-3785,
Web: www.martinpainlab.com, Email: lj.martin@utoronto.ca
