The Vakoc laboratory studies how transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms contribute to cancer initiation, maintenance, and therapeutic vulnerability. A central goal of the lab is to define the gene regulatory circuitry that sustains malignant cell states and to use this knowledge to uncover new therapeutic targets. The lab has a strong track record of identifying cancer dependencies through high-throughput genetic screening and then advancing those findings through detailed mechanistic studies in cell-based and in vivo model systems.
Research in the laboratory spans several complementary areas, including CRISPR-based functional genomics, transcriptional and epigenetic regulation, chromatin biology, biochemical reconstitution, cancer cell state control, and in vivo studies of gene regulation in tissue contexts. The group has studied these questions across a range of cancer types, and expansion into pediatric malignancies represents a particularly important opportunity for future growth. This position offers the chance to help build new directions at the interface of cancer epigenetics, gene regulation, and pediatric oncology within the outstanding scientific environment at St. Jude.
The lab environment is collaborative, rigorous, and highly interactive, with a strong commitment to scientific mentorship and career development. Over the past 18 years, Chris Vakoc has mentored approximately 39 Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows, many of whom have gone on to successful independent careers in academia and biomedical research.
Research Environment
St. Jude provides an exceptional setting for postdoctoral training, with unusual strengths in cancer biology, pediatric malignancy research, genomics, chemical biology, structural biology, and mouse genetics. The Vakoc lab is embedded within a vibrant community of basic and translational scientists and is well positioned for collaborations across the institution. Postdoctoral fellows in the lab benefit from access to outstanding shared resources, a highly interactive faculty environment, and a research culture that emphasizes both mechanistic depth and conceptual innovation.
Potential Research Areas
Depending on background and interest, projects in the lab may involve:
Functional genomic screening to identify lineage-specific and state-specific cancer dependencies
Mechanistic studies of transcription factors, coactivators, and chromatin regulators in cancer
Biochemical and molecular dissection of protein complexes involved in gene regulation
Epigenomic and transcriptomic analysis of cancer cell identity and plasticity
In vivo studies of gene regulation in normal tissue development, differentiation, and homeostasis
Expansion of these approaches into pediatric tumor biology and therapeutically relevant disease models
Qualifications
Applicants should have recently completed a Ph.D., MD/Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree, or have less than five years of postdoctoral research experience. Candidates with more extensive post-doctoral research experience will also be considered.
The strongest candidates will have a strong record of research accomplishment and a demonstrated interest in mechanistic cancer biology or gene regulation. Prior experience in one or more of the following areas would be particularly relevant:
CRISPR-based genetic perturbation approaches
Functional genomics or cancer dependency mapping
Transcription, chromatin, or epigenetics research
Molecular and cellular biology
Biochemistry or biochemical reconstitution
Computational analysis of genomic datasets
In vivo biology, developmental biology, or tissue homeostasis
Applicants should be intellectually curious, experimentally rigorous, and excited to work in a collaborative research environment. Strong communication skills and the ability to drive independent projects are important.
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