Information for prospective Graduate Students (M.Sc. and Ph.D.)

Derda Lab always has open Ph.D. and M.Sc. positions for motivated students with majors in chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, glycobiology, bioinformatics, data science, and machine learning. However, you have to be admitted to the Graduate program before you can join our lab. Please review and complete the application (URL below) before sending any inquiries by email.

• If you have already submitted your application to the Graduate program: Please contact ratmir ( at ) ualberta dot ca and attach your submitted applications package to your e-mail. I will get back to you to schedule a meeting.
• If you have not yet applied to the Graduate program please see above. Please prepare your application package and email me  your Letter of Intent (LOI) that clearly describes a potential project in Derda Lab. I encourage you to read our current publications to identify the area of research that might be of interest to you. 

Information for Post-Doctoral fellows:

We have several positions in Derda Lab for candidates who hold a Ph.D. degree and have experience in chemical biology, organic chemistry, carbohydrate synthesis, total protein synthesis (including mirror-image proteins), and machine learning. When sending your inquiry, please address the following questions:

• Provide a brief research proposal, with  illustrations describing a project in Derda Lab that you would be interested to work on. I encourage you to read our research description and current publication list
•  Names of the three referees who will write reference letters for you. 
• If you have already completed one postdosctoral training and you are seeking a second postdoctoral training, please justify the need for a second post-doctoral training. 
• List of funding opportunities you will apply for to fund your postdoctoral position in Derda Lab. 
• Career goal (what do you plan to do once you complete post-doctoral training in Derda Lab).

Information for Undergraduate students

We are looking for motivated undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing long-term research in our group, working on independent projects, and publishing your project in peer-reviewed journals as lead authors. We are less likely to accept students who are looking only for a short-term, 2-4 month summer rotation in our lab. In your initial inquiry, please specify clearly whether you are looking for a short-term or long-term opportunity.

Undergraduate researcher and summer researcher positions are available in Derda Lab for students with a major or specialization in chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, pharmacology, biophysics, bioinformatics, machine learning, and related areas. Please see below for more information:

• Before applying, please identify the funding opportunities that you will be eligible to apply for (AIHS, URI, NSERC USRA, other) to sustain your long-term research in the lab. If you plan to join Derda Lab to pursue Chem401-403, Bio400 and other research-for-credit courses, I still encourage you to identify the fellowships that will allow you to continue the research in the lab once the course is complete.
• From the research description and publication list, identify the area of research that is of interest to you and write a 0.5-page proposal describing a potential project that you would be interested to work on. While your future project in the lab might or might not be similar to the proposed project, this proposal will help me assess your writing skills, scientific background and overall motivation to do research in our lab.
• E-mail the proposal, your transcript, CV if you have one, and a brief description of your goals after completion of the B.Sc. degree. In your e-mail, indicate the time you will be available for one-on-one interview.