A new postdoc opening in the Synthetic Biology area

Shao group has a new postdoc opening in the area of synthetic biology, specifically related to elucidating generic design rules in exploring non-model microorganisms. Qualified applicants should have a Ph.D. degree in Chemical/Biological Engineering, Biological Chemistry, Biochemistry, Genetics, or Molecular Biology, and have research experience in synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and genetic engineering of novel microbes. The postdoc will work in a collaborative environment with multiple research groups on a daily basis.

Applicants should send a cover letter and CV to Dr. Zengyi Shao at zyshao@iastate.edu.

Undergraduate research, ChE490

The lab offers 2-3 positions each semester for undergraduate students as research assistants for course credit. Interested students meet with Dr. Shao to discuss their interests and to determine the topic for a project. Students are assigned with a graduate student or a postdoc mentor to help get them started, and to answer questions that come up in the research. Students will gain basic training in genetic engineering, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology. Students are responsible for writing experiments notes and short progress reports and encouraged to give a presentation at the end of the semester.