Postdoctoral Fellow - Translational Fibrosis Research

The selected candidates will work as part of a multidisciplinary team of innovative scientists with expertise in bioengineering, 3-D bioprinting, quantitative cell imaging, electrophysiology, histology, assay development, drug screening, data science and other cutting-edge “omics” technologies. The selected candidates will build and characterize human-based engineered 3-D lung tissue models of fibrotic diseases as predictive assays for drug discovery and development, with an emphasis on lung models. Candidates with experience in the physiology and pathology of lung fibrotic diseases are strongly encouraged to apply.

DPI uses an integrated and multidisciplinary team approach to translate research findings into clinically relevant strategies. Our laboratories are best known for their expertise in assay development, high-throughput screening, chemistry, preclinical development programs for regulatory filing, and the application of other innovative technologies (e.g., 3-D microtissues and in silico methods). This expertise enables us to discover chemical probes for the interrogation of cell function under normal and disease conditions, identify preclinical candidates, and advanced preclinical drug candidates for clinical testing. The scope of this translationally focused resource is unparalleled outside of large pharmaceutical companies.

NCATS DPI laboratories emphasize the development of new paradigms to enable chemical genomics and development of new drugs for rare genetic and orphan diseases. The selected candidate will:

• Work in a highly creative environment, focusing on important aspects of disease modeling using cutting-edge technologies such as 3-D bioprinting, high content imaging, stem cells and primary cell cultures.
• Establish fibrosis drug screening assay platforms using engineered tissues, including their characterization, physiological validation and relevant disease functional readouts.
• Keep accurate and complete records of all scientific experiments according to established procedures and ensure that these records and raw data are properly retained.
• Draft technical reports, write manuscripts and patent applications, and will present their work to the scientific community.

The selected candidate should be:

• A team player with high scientific standards.
• Able to work in an interactive, fast-paced environment.
• Self-motivated and willing to learn new technologies and disease physiology.
• Familiar with the in-vitro methods and concepts of tissue engineering.
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated and able to multitask efficiently.

Applicants to this postdoctoral fellow position should possess a Ph.D. in cell biology, molecular biology, biomedical sciences, pharmacology, pathology or a related discipline with relevant experience in fibrosis biology in general, lung fibrosis preferred, or physiology and pathology of the fibrotic diseases to help establish a portfolio of engineered complex cellular assays to model fibrosis.

The ideal candidate should have excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, expected to work independently and troubleshoot the production and validation of 3-D tissue models, including architectural, physiological validation and multi-omics, and develop fibrosis assay readouts for drug screening.

Candidates should be experienced in techniques such as tissue culture of primary cells, histology, immunohistochemistry, fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, RNAseq, RT-PCR. Candidates with additional experience in tissue engineering or bioprinting techniques will also receive preferential consideration. Each candidate should be an independent thinker and team player able to work and multitask in a highly interactive, fast-paced environment.

The ideal candidate should possess strong oral and written communication skills with a proven publication record in peer-reviewed journals. Applicants should be eligible to work in the United States for any employer. U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and international* applicants are eligible for consideration. This position is not eligible for full-time remote work.

NIH does not permit trainees to telework from overseas locations. For the most current eligibility criteria please visit https://www.training.nih.gov/research-training/pd/.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply. NIH welcomes foreign nationals with the exception of individuals from this list.