Project Description

A postdoctoral fellow position is available in the direction of optical super-resolution microscopy at cryogenic temperatures. We are looking for a highly-motivated researcher to develop a novel imaging instrument and accompanying analytical methods to allow ultra-high resolution optical imaging at cryogenic temperatures and correlated studies with electron microscopy systems. This will involve optical techniques such as Adaptive Optics, PSF engineering methods and single molecule imaging systems (e.g. Nature Methods, 15, 583–586, 2018 and Nature Methods, 17, 531–540, 2020) to the unique optical conditions at cryogenic temperatures. The fluorescence maps will be correlated with cryo-electron microscopy imaging to study virus fusion (Microscopy and Microanalysis, 25, 942-949, 2019) and other systems. 

Start Date

Between January 2023 and Oct 2023; negotiable based on graduation and personal needs of applicant

Postdoc Qualifications

The applicant will have a PhD related to one (or more) of the areas in optics, biophysics, microscopy or spectroscopy or photonics. Experiences in optical design and instrumentation or optical theory will be helpful. 

Co-Advisors

Fang Huang, Reilly Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, fanghuang@purdue.edu, web: https://www.fanghuanglab.com/

Lauren Ann Metskas, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Purdue University, lmetskas@purdue.edu, web: https://www.science.purdue.edu/metskaslab/ 

Bibliography

L.A. Metskas and J.A.G Briggs. "Fluorescence-Based Detection of Membrane Fusion State on a Cryo-EM Grid using Correlated Cryo-Fluorescence and Cryo-Electron Microscopy” (2019) Microscopy & Microanalysis, Vol. 25, 4, 942-949.

M. Kaplan, W.J. Nicolas, W. Zhao, S.D. Carter, L.A. Metskas, G. Chreifi, D. Ghosal, G.J.Jensen. "In Situ Imaging and Structure Determination of Biomolecular Complexes Using Electron Cryo-Tomography” (2019) Methods in Molecular Biology, Vol. 2215, 83-111.

F. Xu*, D. Ma*, K. P. MacPherson, S. Liu, Y. Bu, Y. Wang, Y. Tang, C. Bi, T. Kwok, A. A. Chubykin, P. Yin, S. Calve†, G. E. Landreth, F. Huang. “Three-dimensional nanoscopy of whole cells and tissues with in situ point spread function retrieval.” (2020) Nature Methods, 17, 531–540

P. Zhang*, S. Liu*, A. Chaurasia, D. Ma, M. J. Mlodzianoski, E. Culurciello and F. Huang, "Analyzing complex single molecule emission patterns with deep learning"(2018) Nature Methods, Vol.15, 11, pages 913–916

F. Huang*, G. Sirinakis*, E. S. Allgeyer, L. K. Schroeder, W. C. Duim, E. B. Kromann, T. Phan, F. E. Rivera-Molina, J. R. Myers, I. Irnov, M. Lessard, Y. Zhang, M. A. Handel, C. Jacobs-Wagner, C. P. Lusk, J. E. Rothman, D. Toomre, M. J. Booth, J. Bewersdorf, "Ultra-High Resolution 3D Imaging of Whole Cells" (2016) Cell, Vol. 166, 4, 1028 - 1040