1.Introduction about the PI/Lab

Dr. Wen-Jie Bian earned his Ph.D. at the Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2016. From 2016 to 2022, Dr. Bian did his postdoctoral training in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stanford University School of Medicine and received multiple awards including the Human Frontier Science Postdoctoral Program Fellowship and Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Young Investigator Award. His previous work on neural circuit development and the developmental role of sleep was published in journals including Cell, Nature Neuroscience, Neuroscience Bulletin, Developmental Neurobiology, etc. Dr. Bian will start his own laboratory in Westlake University in May 2023.

Sleep is essential for almost all animals and exhibits substantial developmental changes. The Bian lab studies the neurobiology of sleep from a developmental perspective. We aim to answer what developmental functions sleep carries and why and how sleep architecture is developmentally regulated. To tackle these questions, we use mice and rats as model animals and employ a variety of techniques including behavioral analysis, electroencephalography/electromyography, two-photon in vivo imaging, fiber photometry, opto-/chemogenetics, immunohistochemistry, single-cell RNA-seq and molecular/genetic manipulations, etc. Current research directions of the lab include (but not limited to): 1) the circuit and molecular mechanisms underlying the developmental change of sleep architecture, 2) the developmental role of sleep in shaping behavioral functions (e.g., social behavior), 3) shared pathology of sleep disorders and neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism and schizophrenia) and its contribution to aberrant behaviors, and 4) sleep-induced DNA repair during development.

2. Job Openings

Research Assistant (2-3, including 1 lab manager)

Job Responsibilities:

1) Help with routine lab duties, managing the reagents/equipment/research materials, basic training of new lab members, etc.

2) Perform routine experiments and assist with research projects.

Job Requirements

1) Bachelor's degree or higher in biology or relevant majors.

2) Responsible, organized, efficient, and good at communication and teamwork.

3) Ability to read, write and communicate in English.

4) Individuals with experience in handling mice/rats, molecular biology experiments, or engineering/programming are preferred.

3.Compensation and Benefits

The research team offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

4.How to apply

Please send your CV and other supporting materials as a PDF file to bianwenjie@westlake.edu.cn. After the preliminary screening, we will contact qualified candidates for interview.