Research Associate in the Division of Science (Biology) - Dr. Fabio Piano

The Fabio Piano laboratory in the Division of Science, New York University Abu Dhabi, seeks to recruit an experienced Bioanalytical Chemistry Research Associate to work on analytical and functional aspects of C. elegans metabolism covering all required mass spectrometry and chromatography applications as part of a project using a variety of other analytical techniques.

The Fabio Piano laboratory at New York University Abu Dhabi is formed by an expert team working on molecular networks and analysis of bioactive molecules in animal development using C. elegans. Multi-disciplinary approaches are employed to uncover mechanisms underlying fundamental biomolecular and biochemical processes during embryonic and larval development. A long standing interest in the laboratory has been the study of molecular and genetic networks during development and evolution (Nature 436 (7052), 861-865; Science 330 (6012), 1775-1787; Cell 134 (3), 534-545), along with the identification of genetic and chemical perturbations to study their function (Cell 145(3):470-82; Nature 434(7032):462-9; Nature Chemical Biology 3 (1), 55-59; Development 143(19):3540-3548).

As a result of recent discoveries of new bioactive molecules from large high-throughput screens (Nature Communications, 16, 305-319, 2025; Food Chemistry, 491, 145215, 2025), the laboratory plans to use the newly discovered compounds towards fundamental studies of C. elegans development and towards pre-clinical work, especially for novel anthelminthics.

To these aims the laboratory is willing to hire a

• Bioanalytical Chemistry Assistant or Associate, commensurate with experience and background, to work on analytical and functional metabolomics in C. elegans or other systems using mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) that will complement other bioanalytical/biophysical techniques, as well as different chemical biology approaches to extract, purify, characterize and biologically assay natural compounds. The research activity of the requested profile will entail development and optimization of chromatographic methods and protocols for fractionation, separation and identification by mass spectrometry of hydro-soluble and lipo-soluble metabolites from C. elegans or cell cultures extracts, as well as natural compounds from vegetal sources. In general, expertise is requested in the different mass-spectrometry techniques and state-of-the-art instrument configurations. In particular, the candidate should master the commonly employed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) approaches for metabolomics and proteomics, including the relative sample preparation and treatment expertise. The candidate should also master the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques for lipidomics, along with the derivatization techniques required by GC-MS samples. All these skills should be preferably documented by peer-reviewed scientific publications where the contribution of the candidate could be clearly assessed. Candidates for the advertised position must have a Master and well-documented experience (at least 4 years), or a PhD in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry or Biotechnology, and experimental skills in mass-spectrometry-based bioanalytical techniques and biopolymer chemistry, along with sound computer work abilities for experimental data handling and interpretation that are crucial for current cutting-edge research.

All applicants need to show excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, ability to work in a collaborative multi-disciplinary environment and have shown scientific creativity, curiosity and independence. They will join a group that is highly motivated and has expertise that spans computational skills to cell biology and genetics using C. elegans or other organisms. It is a vibrant and multicultural group that also includes members who work in shared lab space and also others who are in the New York laboratory.

The successful candidate will join a group headed by Prof. Fabio Piano for the laboratory in Abu Dhabi and must be able to obtain a work visa in the UAE. The initial contract would be for two years with a usual probationary period and is subject to final budgetary approval. The terms of employment are competitive and include housing and additional benefits. Applications will be accepted until September 1st 2025, and candidates will be considered starting from September 15th 2025.

Please submit a cover letter that includes a description of research accomplishments and research interest, curriculum vitae with full publication list, and four names of references and at least two letters all in PDF format. If you have any questions, please email [email protected]

About NYUAD:

NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.

UAE Nationals are encouraged to apply.