Zhang Lab @ Danforth 

The Zhang laboratory at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (St. Louis, Missouri) employs cutting-edge technologies in green algae and land plants to study how photosynthetic organisms respond to environment, especially high temperatures. If you are interested in the positions available in the Zhang lab, please contact Ru Zhang (rzhang@danforthcenter.org).

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• We welcome and accept (rotation) graduate students from one of these graduate programs below at nearby universities where PI Zhang has adjunct faculty positions. If you are interested in graduate student positions in the Zhang Lab, please apply for graduate schools at the website of one of these graduate programs below: 

  • (1) Plant and Microbial Biosciences (PMB) Program, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences (DBBS), Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis (WUSTL), 10 min drive from Danforth;

  • (2) Division of Plant Science and Technology at the University of Missouri, Columbia (UM or Mizzou), 2-h drive from Danforth; Mizzou graduate students at Danforth can take most classes remotely.

  • (3) Department of Biology, University of Missouri - St. Louis (UMSL), 15 min drive from Danforth.

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• We welcome undergraduate researchers from universities near Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and national-wide summer undergraduate interns through the Danforth REU program.

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• We welcome high school students who are interested in plant science research through the "Students and Teachers As Research Scientists" (STARS) Program

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• We welcome postdoctoral researchers in these two research areas: algal heat responses and C4 photosynthesis. Requirements for postdoc candidates: PhD in plant physiology, molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, bioinformatics, or related field, highly motivated and creative, excellent organization and communication (both written and oral) skills, and outstanding problem-solving and collaborative abilities. To apply for, please send a cover letter (stating research experience and career goals), a CV, and the names and contact information for three references to rzhang@danforthcenter.org with the subject line "Postdoctoral Researcher - Zhang Lab". Zhang lab currently has no open postdoc positions.

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• We welcome highly motivated individuals to join as Laboratory Technicians. Requirements for lab technician candidates are: recent graduates with a BS in biology or related field, have genuine passion for plant science research, excellent organization and communication skills, strong desire to learn new things, great ability to complete tasks with high quality in a timely manner, outstanding collaborative capability, and interest in working with various equipment for algal cultivation as well as photosynthetic measurements; previous laboratory experience in plant science and some bioinformatic/coding skills are pluses but not prerequisites. Individuals aiming for graduate school in the future are especially encouraged to apply. Several of our former lab technicians went to graduate school after the training in the Zhang lab, including James Eckhardt (UCR), Will McHargue (WUSTL), Cheyenne Anderson (WUSTL), Celine Xia (WUSTL), Cady Bailey (SLU), and Kylee Hillman (UC-Berkeley). All our former lab technicians had at least 1 publication from their work in the Zhang lab. 

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