Post-Doctoral Associate in Retina Research

University of Minnesota • Minneapolis, MN

100d • $62,232 - $75,564

About The Position

This position seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to investigate how cell death sensors regulate immune responses, with an emerging interest in the retina. Building on our prior work (PMID: 35969037, PMID: 36662852) we aim to explore how recognition of photoreceptors outer segments or dying cells maintains homeostasis, results in inflammation and degeneration or induces repair in the retina. The project will integrate mouse models of genetically modified cell death sensors, retinal degeneration and inflammation.

Requirements

• PhD in Retinal Biology, Immunology, Molecular Biology, or a closely related biomedical field
• Experience with retinal immunopathology, photoreceptor biology, or RPE-related degenerative disease models
• Demonstrated expertise in retinal structure and function, including experience with gene expression analysis
• Hands-on experience with mouse models of inflammation, neurodegeneration, or retinal degeneration
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations
• Demonstrated productivity through first-author publications

Nice To Haves

• Skilled in molecular biology techniques including qPCR, cloning, western blotting, and CRISPR or shRNA-based gene knockdown
• Experience with RNA-seq or other transcriptomic analyses
• Experience in confocal imaging
• Experience in flow cytometry

Responsibilities

• Design and conduct in vivo experiments using murine models to study immune regulation and retinal degeneration
• Conduct transcriptomic and pathway analyses (e.g., snRNAs-seq, RNA-seq) to uncover regulatory networks
• Use molecular and cellular tools (e.g., gene knockdown, qPCR) to dissect cell death sensing pathways
• Perform retinal functional assessments (e.g., ERG) and gene expression analysis in RPE and photoreceptors
• Perform high-dimensional flow cytometry for immune profiling
• Present findings at lab meetings and scientific conferences; contribute to collaborative research discussions
• Contribute to manuscript writing and data presentations for publication and conferences
• Mentor junior trainees and contribute to the lab's collaborative and knowledge-sharing culture

Benefits

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training
• Medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree