[3dem] Postdoctoral position available at University of Tokyo & update about the earthquake

Masahide Kikkawa mkikkawa at m.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Tue Mar 29 22:24:09 PDT 2011


Dear all,

One postdoctoral position is immediately available (three years supported by FIRST program http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-jisedai/index.html) for a highly motivated individual at the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo. 

We are studying the molecular mechanisms underlying cytoskeletal motor proteins including kinesin and dynein mainly using cryo-electron microscope. Ph. D. candidate with strong background in biochemistry, cell biology, structural biology, and/or computer science is encouraged to apply. 

The laboratory is fully equipped for all aspects of molecular biology
and biochemistry and access to four electron microscopes listed below:

JEM-3100FEF (300KV, FEG, In-column energy filter, 4k x 4k Camera (TemCam-F416))
JEM-2010F   (200KV, FEG)
JEM-2100F   (200KV, FEG, 4k x 4k CCD, post-column energy filter with 2k x 2k CCD, available from April 2011)
JEM-2010H   (200KV, LaB6)

Although our lab is in Japan, members of our lab are all fluent in English.

Potential candidates should send a PDF including cover letter, curriculum
vitae with list of publications, and names of referees to:

Masa Kikkawa
e-mail: mkikkawa at m.u-tokyo.ac.jp

===========================================
Update

 Some of you sent me an e-mail worrying about the earthquake.
Thanks for your kind support.

On March 11st, a major earthquake hit eastern part of Japan. 
In Tokyo, the magnitude was 5+.
I was on the fourth floor but didn't feel fear because the building is new.
One of the microscope was being used and it was shut down due to brief electric outage.
A few hours later, the microscope was booted without any problem.
No equipment was broken. Our family are all well.
So the immediate damage was none to little.

However, a number of small earthquakes and depressing news drained our energy in the following two weeks. 
There was also worry about the radioactive material flying from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, but it got back to normal level (0.1 micro Sv/h) according to the "The University of Tokyo Environmental Radiological Countermeasures News". So it would be better for electron microscopists to worry about leaked X-ray radiation from the camera chamber!


Anyway, we are recovering and Tokyo is safe.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Masahide Kikkawa, M.D., Ph. D.
Professor
Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy
Graduate School of Medicine
University of Tokyo
http://structure.m.u-tokyo.ac.jp/
tel: +81-3-5841-3338
fax: +81-3-5841-3339
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