PhD Position in Cancer Metabolism at Ohio State University
There is a PhD graduate student position opening in the laboratory of Deliang Guo, PhD, Director of the Center of Cancer Metabolism at The Ohio State University. His laboratory focuses on cancer metabolism, signal transduction, autophagy and miRNA across multiple cancer types, including brain tumors, lung cancer, liver cancer, sarcoma, pancreatic cancer etc. The research also expands to immune-metabolism and collaborate with world-leader in immune-oncology field. His lab was the first to identify EGFR/PI3K signaling upregulates SREBP-1, a membrane-bound transcription factor with a central role in lipid metabolism to control tumor growth (Guo, et al, PNAS, Science Signaling, 2009, Cancer Discovery 2011, Current Pharma Design 2014). Most recently, his lab further unraveled the underlying molecular mechanism linking EGFR/PI3K signaling and glucose to SREBP-1-regulated lipid metabolism. They found that glucose acting as an indispensable activator promotes SREBP signaling pathway via N-glycosylation modification on SCAP protein (Cheng et al., Cancer Cell, 2015). Moreover, they found lipid droplets and miRNA are actively involved in SREBPs regulation and lipid metabolism in malignancies (Geng, et al., Clinical Cancer Research 2016, and Peng et al., Cell Reports 2016, Xiang, et al., Cell Metabolism 2020).
The long-term goal of this research is to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms of how oncogenic signaling regulates metabolism reprogramming to promote tumor growth, and to identify the key molecular targets to treat malignancies. His lab is dedicated to translational research, assessing molecular alterations in cancer patient tissues thus obtaining insights from bedside. The Guo laboratory collaborates with outstanding faculty in the newly established Center of Cancer Metabolism and Institute of Immuno-Oncology. The Center for Cancer Metabolism and the Comprehensive Cancer Center are a multidisciplinary work environment that promotes scientific collaboration across a diverse range of research fields. By promoting collaboration, CCM researchers benefit from the world-class knowledge shared amongst the faculty and researchers of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, an interactive environment where there are many opportunities to interact with talented investigators and researchers.
Dr. Guo’s research is currently supported by 4 NIH R01s, American Cancer Society and OSUCCC funds. For additional details on Dr. Guo’s research please visit: https://cancer.osu.edu/find-a-researcher/search-researcher-directory/deliang-guo. For additional details about the Center for Cancer Metabolism please visit https://cancer.osu.edu/for-cancer-researchers/research/research-institutes-and-centers/center-for-cancer-metabolism
Summary of Duties
Perform basic or applied research in tumor metabolism and oncogenic signaling pathways with the goal of developing novel therapies for cancer treatment. Identify and select problems to be studied. Learn and use new techniques (note that research includes live animal models (mice)). Under the guidance of the PI, Dr. Guo, design research, perform experiments, collect and analyze data, and write and publish manuscripts. Fulfill all educational requirements. Tuition will be covered by grants along with a stipend following OSU guidelines. This is a fully-funded Research Assistantship, allowing students to focus solely on their research and coursework. Health/vision/dental insurance will be covered by grants as well. Retirement plan options are available.
Education/Experience
MS or BS in an appropriate biological/health sciences field required. BS applicants must demonstrate independent research experience and must be able to demonstrate ability to capably perform job duties.
To be considered for this position please send an updated CV, a brief description of research interests and contact information of three professional references to: [email protected]
PLEASE NOTE: This does not count as applying for a graduate program. If Dr. Guo expresses interest in advising you as a PhD student, you must then go through a formal application process through the Ohio State University Graduate School and through a compatible graduate program (see below). Please take some time to review The Ohio State University Graduate School’s admissions requirements and programs (The Ohio State University Graduate School).
The Center for Cancer Metabolism is not an academic department. Therefore, prospective graduate students that Dr. Guo wishes to recruit must apply through an appropriate graduate program to be determined based on the student’s field of research.
Some example programs you may consider applying through are:
Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB Website)
The Ohio State Biochemistry Program (OSBP Website)
Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program Website)
There are many more options available as well. Please review any prospective programs as admissions requirements vary from program to program.
