Pangenomics for genome
variation and disease
We develop methods to build and analyze pangenomes, with applications in cancer and complex disease.
Translational Genomics Research Institute · Phoenix, AZ
Research
We span the full pangenomics stack, from pangenome×assembly free of single-reference bias, through pangenome×compression into unified queryable graphs, to pangenome×association powered by graph-based genotyping — applying it all to cancer×pangenomics and complex×diseases.
Pangenome×Assembly
We reduce the cost and complexity of germline genome assembly, making personalized pangenomics practical for clinical and research applications. This includes developing streamlined pipelines and benchmarking assembly approaches across sequencing platforms.
Pangenome×Compression
We develop algorithms and data structures for compressing pangenome alignments and graphs. Using techniques like tracepoints and implicit representations, we enable storage and querying of population-scale genomic data without sacrificing base-level resolution.
Pangenome×Association
We leverage pangenomes for genome-wide association studies, enabling discovery of trait associations with structural variants and sequences absent from linear reference genomes. Our methods use pangenome graph features as genetic markers rather than variants called against a reference.
Cancer×Pangenomics
We construct personalized pangenomes from tumor and matched normal samples using long-read sequencing and de novo assembly. This approach reveals somatic structural variation that single reference-based approaches miss.
Our×Software
Team
The lab opened in January 2026 — we are actively building the team.
Join×Us
Postdoctoral Fellow
Develop computational methods for cancer pangenomics. Access to in-house PacBio Revio and ONT PromethION platforms. Collaborate with T2T and HPRC consortia. Pursue your own research ideas.
Responsibilities
- Developing computational tools for analyzing and visualizing long-read sequencing data and genome assemblies in normal and tumor samples
- Constructing personalized pangenomes to characterize somatic structural variation
- Contributing to pangenome-based variant calling and association study pipelines
- Working with large-scale genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic data
- Contributing to genome assembly and comparative genomics analyses
- Collaborating with internal and external partners, including consortium colleagues (e.g., Telomere-to-Telomere Consortium, Human Pangenome Reference Consortium)
- Building and maintaining reproducible workflows (e.g., Snakemake, Nextflow)
- Presenting research internally and externally (e.g., conferences)
Requirements
Required
- PhD in Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Computational Biology, or related field
- Experience analyzing DNA sequencing data
- Proficiency in Python and/or R
- Familiarity with Linux/Unix and HPC systems (SLURM)
- Experience with version control (Git/GitHub)
- Understanding of statistics for genomic analysis
Preferred
- Long-read sequencing analysis experience
- Proficiency in a compiled language (C, C++, Rust)
- Track record of software development (include a link to the software project you are most proud of)
- Familiarity with genome assembly, structural variant calling, or pangenome methods
- Experience with workflow managers
- Knowledge of cancer genomics databases (TCGA, ICGC)
- Experience with GWAS or variant-phenotype association analysis
- Familiarity with controlled-access genomic databases (e.g., dbGaP)
Location
The Guarracino Lab is located at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, a non-profit research institute in Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the nation, ranked 5th as an Emerging Life Science Market, with over $3.25 billion in recent capital investment in biosciences. TGen sits at the center of the Phoenix Biomedical Campus, a 30-acre urban life sciences hub. Phoenix offers over 300 sunny days a year, multiple mountain ranges nearby, and access to some of the nation's most stunning national and state parks. The airport is a 10-minute drive from TGen with consistently high passenger satisfaction ratings.
This position offers flexibility: hybrid arrangements with on-site time at TGen in Phoenix are possible for the right candidate.
Benefits
- BC/BS of Arizona health coverage
- Dental, Vision, Life, Short and Long Term Disability
- 401k with 6% match
- Generous time off
- Commuter benefits
- Employee Assistance Program
Submit a cover letter describing your research interests and motivation for joining the group, along with a CV detailing your research experience, publications, conference presentations, and contact information for at least two references.
APPLYSelected×Publications
Full list on Google Scholar or ORCID.