JOB POSTING: “IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME”

This is a call for outstanding candidates to apply for a tenure track assistant professor position within the context of the Michael Smith Laboratories at the University of British Columbia. The successful applicant is expected to work in areas of interest to current faculty members, to interact with related groups within our network and to have demonstrated ability in producing research material of excellent quality and interest.

Due to the competitive nature of this process, we ask that all candidates at the very least meet the following criteria:

The candidate’s current area of specialty must contain at least fourteen syllables.

The candidate’s expertise must speak naturally to collaborations with the disciplines of science history, Jungian philosophy, international peacekeeping, French Canadian politics, molecular genetics, early 80s pop music criticism, and West African cuisine.

The candidate must be able to “flex arm hang” for a minimum of twelve minutes.

The candidate must exhibit no more than two degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon.

The candidate must be able to rub their tummy and pat their head at the same time.

The candidate must be, in no uncertain terms, hot.

In addition, short listed candidates will be subjected to a rigorous interview process that will likely involve puppetry, ultimate fighting, and some interpretative dance techniques. This, of course, might be televised nationally on CBS, so it is advisable that all applicants prepare in advance for these skill sets.

The successful applicant will covet a salary that will commensurate with experience and research record, but realistically is dependant on an obligation to play as the principle string in the University’s Chinese Orchestra during the first three years of his/her track.

We will also endeavor to provide the applicant with reasonable research space, and note that we have one of the country’s best supply of camping gear, should this be an issue. We do however ask that successful candidates will themselves provide start up funds to the sum of $1000, which must be used within 48 hours. During that period, you will, of course, be wearing brightly covered overalls and have access to a skilled carpenter who will almost certainly be just as hot as you.

The University of British Columbia is one of the leaders in North America with strong connections with many well regarded institutes, and we look forward to continuing this tradition with this placement. We hire on the basis of merit and are committed to employment equity. We encourage all qualified persons to apply; however citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. No losers please.

(…and now the real ones)

(Job posting link | pdf)

The Michael Smith Laboratories (MSL) and the Centre for High-throughput Biology (CHiBi) at the University of British Columbia are jointly launching a major recruiting initiative and invite applications for six new faculty positions. These full-time tenure-track positions will be filled primarily at the Assistant Professor level but exceptional candidates at a higher rank may be considered. The six new faculty will be located in exceptional research space at the centre of campus within a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative environment that includes biological and physical scientists and engineers, as well as proteomics and bioinformatics experts.

TWO TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR POSITIONS IN CHEMICAL, MOLECULAR AND SYSTEMS BIOLOGY, AND BIOENGINEERING

Approaches using molecular genetics, chemical, computational or molecular biology or bioengineering to probe animals, plants and unicellular organisms, and models of disease therein, will be considered.

TWO TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR POSITIONS IN METABOLIC ENGINEERING AND SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY

All facets of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, from technology development and computational approaches to innovative applications, will be considered. Applicants with an interest in bioenergy and biorefining are particularly encouraged to apply.

TWO TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR POSITIONS IN COMPUTATIONAL TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

The development of innovative technologies, devices, computational approaches or chemical and biophysical techniques is welcomed, with particular emphasis on genome-wide and high-throughput approaches.

Successful applicants for these positions must have a Ph.D., will have demonstrated outstanding research strength and creativity, have several years of productive experience, will be expected to contribute to high quality undergraduate/graduate teaching and to effectively supervise graduate students, and be prepared to integrate their expertise with innovative researchers at the University. Academic appointments could be within or between departments in the Faculties of Applied Science, Forestry, Medicine and/or Science, evidence of teaching effectiveness would be an asset.

The Michael Smith Laboratories and the Centre for High-throughput Biology comprise a diverse group of 22 research and teaching faculty and over 150 graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and research associates. Research strengths include medical and animal molecular genetics/biology, plant and forest molecular genetics/biology, bioprocess engineering, chemical biology, proteomics, micro-fluidics bioinformatics and statistical genomics. Importantly the group is also providing leadership for the Bio-energy and Refining Innovation (BERI) network as part of a university-wide initiative in sustainability. Applicants are strongly encouraged to visit http://www.michaelsmith.ubc.ca/ and http://www.chibi.ubc.ca/ to learn more about the unique technological and research opportunities available to new faculty members. Substantial start-up funds and exceptional mentoring will be provided.

UBC with over 12,000 faculty and staff plus 8,000 graduate students, has deep research strength across the Applied Sciences, the Life Sciences, the Physical Sciences and Computation, and has formal associations with research hospitals, the British Columbia Cancer Agency, Genome British Columbia, the Genome Sciences Centre, the Centre for Drug Research and Development and the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle. Researchers thus enjoy numerous opportunities for stimulating and productive collaborations. Opportunities exist to attract substantial research funding from government (e.g. Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Canadian Foundation for Innovation), foundations (e.g. Michael Smith Foundation, Genome Canada) and industry.

Applications should include a letter of application indicating the appropriate competition number, a detailed curriculum vitae, a list of publications, a statement of research and teaching interests, and the name, address, e-mail address and phone number of at least three referees. All positions are subject to final budgetary approval. The closing date for all applications is September 14, 2010.

UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. UBC is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from visible minority group members, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.

We don’t want to actually make money out of this, because when you do, things get significantly more complicated. They become high maintenance so to speak – with taxation, copyright and distribution logistics to worry about. Although some view us as a literary endeavour, we are in truth a covert educational project designed primarily to get non-scientists to immerse themselves a little more into this science thing. This, we think is working, at least if you use our contributor lists as a gauge.

With the “not worrying about money” baseline in mind, we seem to be left with two options. They are: (1) get a bonafide publisher to worry about such matters for us, and distribute the journal via the standard publishing routes, or (2) rely on third party online self printing/publishing services (like Lulu or Cafepress), which allow you to send in the “finished” product in electronic form and then sit back whilst computer fairies and gnomes produce physical books based on online requests to purchase. To avoid the money stuff, we simply add zero dollars on top of the base fee charged by said service.

To be honest, we’re not sure which is best.

(1) seems to gain us more clout and a wider distribution, and may be doable, because in a surreal but fortuitous twist of fate, we have been proposition by a variety of agents and publishers over the last 3 years. The problem here is that we do lose a fair bit of control (for instance, said publishers tend to be only interested in the humour pieces – maybe that’s o.k, although it does sort of defeat the intent of the SCQ?). Anyway, as always a chance to discuss this with others is key – maybe even a small press or two can be led our way.

(2) seems to be more fun and likely much quicker, primarily because we, ourselves, get to design things like this:

As well, we can ask our readers to participate by choosing their favourites from the past year. For example, we can also ask our readers for suggestions on two quotes to grace the cover of the book – one profound, one not so much – to be sent to tscq@interchange.ubc.ca, subject heading: quote.

Anyway, like a lot of things in the sciences, it’s all about the data you get back and the sample size recieved, so send us a few quotes, tell us your favourite pieces from the past year, and let us know what you think in general about this book business.

cheers
Dave Ng

P.S. If you are confused about the duck, it’s because of this.
P.P.S. The awesome painting of the duck is by our very own Arthur Kwan – rocks eh?

Egad! Is it already that close to October 6th! This is our deadline for applying to be one of the inaugural speakers of the Terry talks student conference. Well, the short answer is yes – in fact there is just under a week or so left.

And in case this is brand new news to you – the Terry talks can be encapsulated in the following manner:

“Imagine UBC’s most fascinating and engaging students coming together for a day, giving ‘the talk of their lives,’ sharing their ideas and discussing their visions for UBC and the world. Now imagine being there, with students, alumni, faculty, administration, and members of the general public watching this unfold and partaking in the various discussions, and think of all the possibilities that this idea-share holds.”

Anyway – think TED conference, but here at home, at UBC, with your UBC peers. Click here for more information.

The SCQ is pleased to announce that the winner of the last book was Alex Roger’s “Astro I Reference Notes.” To keep things rolling a little bit, we would like to present the next book up for grabs. This one is called “Follow the Line Around the World” by Laura Ljungkvist.

We think every reader should submit just for the possibility of owning a book who has an author with such a marvelous last name.

Anyway, like before any kind of submission will do, and please send on your good material to tscq@interchange.ubc.ca (deadline is October 15th).

“Imagine UBC’s most fascinating and engaging students coming together for a day, giving ‘the talk of their lives,’ sharing their ideas and discussing their visions for UBC and the world. Now imagine being there, with students, alumni, faculty, administration, and members of the general public watching this unfold and partaking in the various discussions, and think of all the possibilities that this idea-share holds.”

Sounds interesting? Better yet, check this out. A video and PSA version of the previously published “Things to avoid at all cost when speaking publicly.”

See you all soon.

Just a quick note. Although it’s been a while, a few of us are meeting for drinks on Friday night (July 25th) at The Revel Room in Gastown, Vancouver (8pm on). It just so happens that it’s about the 500th Day Anniversary of the Science Scouts.

What’s this? Well, it’s this. Think: science plus badges plus raising a pint in celebration and you’re getting close.

If you happen to be in the area feel free to drop by – better yet, let us know by replying to the facebook page.

And the prize… Well, a really pretty dinosaur book, by award winner artist Christopher Wormell.

Again, send in your good stuff to tscq@interchange.ubc.ca.

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY TECHNIQUES WORKSHOPS (SUMMER 2008 PROGRAM):

Now accepting registration
To register, please contact Dr. David Ng at db@interchange.ubc.ca

(1) ONE WEEK VERSION
Dates: July 21st – 25th, 2008
Price: CAN$1250 (does not include room or board)

Reviews and Testimonies
Can be found here.

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. David Ng
DESCRIPTION: This intense one week workshop will focus on a myriad of different techniques used in the molecular manipulation of DNA, RNA and protein. Primarily aimed at researchers who are new to the area, or familiar but require a quick updating. Procedures that will be covered both practically and theorectically can be seen in the table of contents of our lecture notes Note that there will be some modification to the content as we update our syllabus for the July session:

ONE WEEK WORKSHOP LECTURE NOTES (previous pdf lecture notes available):
(previous pdf for 1 week lab manual also available)

CONTENTS: (note that the order is due to experiments).

1.1 DNA: Your Friend.

2.1 GENOMIC DNA: What and Why.
2.2 GENOMIC DNA: Cell Lysis.
2.3 GENOMIC DNA: DNA Purification.
2.4 GENOMIC DNA: DNA Precipitation.

3.1 MORE ON DNA: Quantitation.
3.2 MORE ON DNA: AGAROSE GEL ELECTROPHORESIS.
3.3 MORE ON DNA: NUCLEIC ACID PURIFICATION KITS

4.1 Cloning: What is a Vector All About?
4.2 Cloning: Which Vector Should I Use? (Part 1)
4.3 Cloning: Which Vector Should I Use? (Part 2)

5.1 ENZYMES: Restriction Endonucleases (Part 1).
5.2 ENZYMES: Restriction Endonucleases (Part 2).
5.3 ENZYMES: Ligases and Phosphatases – The Jist.

6.1 Transformation/Transfection: Getting DNA into your host.

6.2 PLASMID PREPS.

7.1 PROTEINS: Your “High Maintenance” Friend.
7.2 PROTEINS: The Western Blot – Part 1.
7.3 PROTEINS: The Western Blot – Part 2.

8.1 RNA: Your “unreliable” friend.
8.2 RNA: Isolation and Purification.
8.3 RNA: Gene Expression.

9.1 POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION – The Jist.
9.2 PCR – A brief tour of the reaction specifics.
9.3 PCR – A brief tour of troubleshooting options.
9.4 REAL TIME PCR.

APPENDIX A: Replication, replication, replication…
APPENDIX B: Hybridization and Stringency for Dummies.
APPENDIX C: A Selection from the Merck Manual.

LOCATION:
Located in the heart of the UBC campus, the Michael Smith Laboratories is a testament to the vision of its founding Director, Dr. Michael Smith. Under his leadership, a gifted team of young scientists were recruited. These scientists have gone on to develop internationally renowned programs of research and training. The second and third floors of the new building are dedicated to the research facilities of the former Biotechnology Laboratory. The Stewart and Marilyn Blusson Education Forum is located on the ground floor and is open to the public. The molecular techniques workshops are held in the teaching lab,room 105 of this forum.
(click here for detailed directions)

REGISTRATION DETAILS:
Registration is essentially through first: an email inquiry for space (db@interchange.ubc.ca), second: a verbal commitment and then third via payment. Your place is essentially secured with payment, which more or less equates to a first come first serve mechanism. This payment would be a CAN$1250 cheque (or equivalent) payable to “The University of British Columbia” and sent to

Dr. David Ng
Michael Smith Laboratories
301-2185 East Mall,
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC, CANADA V6T 1Z3

If you prefer us to send an invoice, please let us know and we can arrange that accordingly. Note that we can accommodate a maximum of 16 clients, but on occasion up to half of these spaces are already reserved for predetermined group clients. Therefore, it’s best to put your name down as soon as possible if you are interested in the workshop.

REFUND POLICY
Your spot in the workshop is secured when we receive your payment. The deadline for receipt of payments is 3 weeks prior to the workshop start date. Unfortunately, we are unable to issue any refunds after this deadline has passed.

DAY TO DAY SCHEDULING DETAILS:
Workshop will begin each day at 9am sharp and usually end around 5:30pm. A detailed final schedule and syllabus will be released to clients as the date draws nearer.

MATERIALS:
All paper materials will be provided on the first day of the workshop. Downloadable versions will be available a week before the workshop begins. Whilst we do not require the clients to “study” these documents, we do ask that clients take a moment to peruse the first day practical materials. Please also bring a lab coat – if one is not available, please let us know and we will make arrangements accordingly. All other safety gear is provided at the workshop.

ACCOMODATIONS:
Here are some accomodation options that are basically on campus. Costs involved would vary (I think the most budget option would be the Vancouver Youth Hostel which is about a 15minute bus ride away). The closest would be those of Gage through UBC conferences. The others (except for point grey house) are all a relatively short walk away.

International Youth Hostel at Jericho Beach
UBC accomodations (on campus – note there are only 47 available)
St. John’s College (on campus)
Green College (on campus)
St. Andrew’s Hall (summer only)
Point Grey House (off campus, but only 10 minute bus ride away)

Alternatively, Downtown Vancouver offers a variety of accomodation options, but would entail about a 30-40minute bus ride each way. Depends on your preference since the Campus is pretty quiet at night time, whereas other areas would be more lively. Go to www.expedia.ca, and select:

hotel > near an attraction/vancouver > type in “University of British Columbia”

Usually the out of town clients make use of a little extra time after or before the workshop in visiting some of the sights Vancouver has to offer. I often strongly recommend this since the city and surrounding locale are really quite spectacular. In particular Whistler Blackcomb is a world famous ski/outdoor resort, and is only a 2 hour drive away. Ski season usually opens in mid November (click here for more info)

My wish was to be buried in the Churchyard at Downe. Now I find Mr Huxley, thumbing his nose at the Queen for refusing me a knighthood, arranged to have me planted in that mausoleum Westminster Abbey. He knows I hated London. And burying an agnostic in such a place is carrying whimsy just a little too far.

So I was delighted when a mob of angry biologists and historians broke into the Abbey one night and removed my remains with a view for a quiet burial in the village I loved. But no. Someone called Dawkins had a better idea. I don’t remember corresponding with him. Maybe a friend of that ghastly man Marx who kept sending me those books. Did he come to anything?

Anyway, I woke up in a thunderstorm, a bolt in either side of my neck, Dawkins on the phone saying, ‘there’s another book in this!’ My re-emergence into society in my bicentenary year has caused something of a stir, not least to myself.

Those of you who have actually read my writings (as in not just provide opinion on them) will know that I am a retiring man, not much given to attending either science or society functions. But I could not resist an invitation to visit my old friend, the Beagle. As I wrote not long before my first death, my time aboard her was the most important event in my life: without her I would have become a clergyman.

So we took the train down to the coast and there she was. A brand new HMS Beagle, sitting alongside trim and pretty as though she had just been launched in 1820. My heart gave a lurch (which worries you, when you have died) when I saw her again. The decks were clustered awaiting my arrival, and the welcome I received was embarrassing.

Still. the moment I stepped aboard, I felt the clammy sweat, the salivation of my old nemesis: seasickness. I suffered it for five years and frequently wished myself dead. Some observant soul saw this: ‘I know how you feel. Every time we go out I’d throw me ring up if I didn’t take these.’ He handed me two tablets. ‘Or you could always eat some jam.’

‘Do preserves cure seasickness?’ I asked, amazed. ‘No, it just tastes nicer when it comes up.’ I shall have to catch up with the new humour, I see. But it was good to be made game of: I am a bearded man who has been resurrected from the dead, but I am no God.

The upper deck was much as I remember leaving in 1836: the wheel with Nelson’s immemorial words: ‘England expects every man will do his duty’. The Captain – he did not have Fitzroy’s haughty bearing – saw my affectionate glance at the helm and in an exasperated way said, ‘If that was today, Nelson would have to say “England expects every man will fill in a risk assessment.” Anyhow, look at this.’ The inanimate piece of glass sprang into colourful life. ‘GPS.’ I raised an eyebrow. ‘Global positioning system. It uses satellites 22,000 miles above us to calculate our position to the nearest ten feet. It has charts for the whole world.’

‘No more sextants?’ I asked. The daily taking of sights at noon and of shooting the altitude of starts was a great ritual every day aboard the old Beagle. ‘Oh, I still have mine, and my requisite tables. Sometimes, the electrics pack up.’

‘So the whole of the world has been charted? And they are stored in this small grey box?’

‘Yes. And watch this!’ He punched a button. ‘Depth!’

‘So no more casting weighted lines?’

‘No, Mr D. And here.’ The display changed again. ‘Radar. It paints a picture of the land and sea around us. We can see boats before they appear on the horizon, can sail safely through fog and storms.’ It looked like paintings my little Frankie used to do after Emma had been a little too free with the alcoholic tincture of laudanum. She used to give that a lot for colds. With so much changed, I suppose science will have found cures for such simple ailments by now.

My old stern cabin was very different to the one I shared with Stokes and King. Cramped still, but with cabins and…what did I feel? The captain had the shame to shuffle his feet. ‘Heating,’ he mumbled. ‘Air conditioning, too, when it gets too hot.’ A click and an electric bulb glowed
into life. I had seen these in a house, but on a boat. ‘And that?’

‘You haven’t heard of iPods, then?’

‘Something to do with plant reproduction?’

The captain shook his head and vanishing down a set of ladders told me to ‘mind my head’. My 200 year old knees cracked a bit. Age had stooped my frame, but still in the bowels of the ship, I had to hunch, and what a different sight to the stinking, rodent infested hole I had last seen in 1836.

‘Engines. 440 horsepower, folding propellers, push us along at eight knots when there’s no wind. And generators provide mains electricity for all you scientific types – the stuff you lot need – and 24 volts for the boat.’

Fitzroy sailed us around the world and I wrote The Origin of Species without electricity, I mused. We crouched as we walked between rows of gleaming boxes and hoses. ‘Diesel and water tanks. Freezers. These are for food, these are for your metagenomics samples.’

‘Metagenomics?’

‘Don’t tell him about that! It’ll kill him again!’ A voice yelled from behind us. ‘We’ve got to get him up to speed with the peas first….’

Moving past the captain, I confronted the hovering woman in the white lab coat. ‘What’s this about peas?’ I asked. And so, standing in the hold of HMS Beagle I was given a brief introduction to the science of genetics. Well, well. It seems monks are good for something after all – transmitting variation from one generation to the next. Not that monks do that, I mean.

Anxious not to delay my host, I emerged again into the main deck, now lined with small comfortable cabins, very different to the hammocks of my day. In between the cabins, a table was bolted to the floor. ‘Lab space. We’re doing what you did, Mr D. we’re going round the world, sampling the seas, looking at how the world’s changed since you saw it, how the rainforests have been cut down, the glaciers have melted, where the species have moved to, how many have gone extinct. A lot of the people here are doing it because of you. A lot of ‘em read the Voyage, the Origin, and that’s why they’re here.’

I felt humble that my work on this little ship had touched so many. And a pang of envy. Their breathable waterproofs. Heated cabins. Running water. Hot running water. Next I will learn that they will not have to wait to arrive at shore to communicate with the rest of the world. Maybe they are even able to identify specimens without consulting a museum or book!

The captain excused himself. ‘We need to be off, we’re taking a copy of your first edition of the Origin across the Atlantic to Harvard.’ He slapped the mainmast. ‘Give her a good try out before we go off round the world. Been a pleasure to have you aboard. Bit of a headwrecker for me, mind. I hope,’ he shuddered, ‘they don’t dig up Fitzroy and do the Frankenstein on him, bring him aboard. God, could you imagine that? Having the old skipper aboard too? But you know you’re welcome aboard. Anytime.’

The crew shook my hand one after another in a most civil manner and the captain saw me safely over the gangplank, and promptly started bellowing – as captains will – about starting engines, getting ready to slip. As my feet hit dry land, I was met by an attractive young woman, a species I have always liked. ‘Hi,’ she drawled, took my arm and walked me towards a car. ‘Yah. I’m Jocasta your agent for media-facing events. Oh, God look at you, we’re going to have to do something about that beard. We’ll have to book you in for a makeover and get your colours done, I’m thinking autumnal: you’re doing the all the TV breakfast shows tomorrow morning. Darling, you’re going to be huge. But Charles Darwin. A bit old, Victorian. Our branding people have been brainstorming and felt Chaz D…’

I tore myself from her grasp, opened my hand , gulped down the two seasickess pill I had been given and with a sprightliness surprising in a 200 year old, cantered up the gangplank. ‘You did say any time,’ I reminded the captain, ‘my science is a little rusty, but I think I can be of some use.’

The HMS Beagle Project aims to launch a replica of the HMS Beagle, an icon of scientific progress, for the bicentenary of Charles Darwin’s birth in 2009. She will circumnavigate the globe in Darwin’s wake, crewed by aspiring scientists and researchers. They will carry out original research both at sea and on land, updating Darwin’s observations, breaking new scientific ground and relating the adventure of science to enthuse a new generation of young students. If you support this vision please visit www.thebeagleproject.com for details on how you can help.