Postdoctoral Fellow – Retinal Biology, Usher Syndrome, and Translational Genomics

Mass General Brigham • Boston, MA

2d • $71,750 - $73,544 • Onsite

About The Position

The Indzhykulian Laboratory at Mass Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to lead and coordinate a collaborative research program investigating retinal biology in Usher syndrome and advancing therapeutic approaches for inherited sensory disorders. The project integrates findings and datasets from human retina, human retinal organoids, and animal models to determine therapeutically relevant expression and isoform usage of Usher syndrome genes, compare model systems, and prioritize retinal cell targets and therapeutic strategies. The work will inform the development and evaluation of gene-replacement, genome-editing, and other treatments.

The fellow will work in the Indzhykulian laboratory and collaborate with investigators at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard-affiliated institutions, and other research centers in the United States and internationally. The role combines experimental retinal biology, genomic data analysis, and translational therapeutic development. The position is available pending finalization of funding and institutional approvals.

The laboratory is part of the Eaton-Peabody Laboratories at Mass Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School. Its research focuses on molecular and cellular mechanisms of sensory function and disease, including auditory neuroscience, inner-ear hair-cell biology, and therapeutic development for inherited and acquired deafness. This position leads the retinal component of an expanding program in Usher syndrome and sensory-cell biology.

Requirements

• Doctorate in a related field; applicants should have a PhD, MD/PhD, MD with substantial research training, or equivalent doctoral degree in neuroscience, vision science, molecular or cellular biology, genetics, bioinformatics, or a related discipline.
• Three to five years of previous research experience required.
• Demonstrated experience in research techniques, methods, or areas relevant to the project.
• Proficient analytical skills and proficiency in statistical software.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.
• Scientific curiosity, critical thinking, strong organizational and communication skills, and ability to work effectively across laboratories and disciplines.
• Ability to take scientific ownership of a complex collaborative project while working with investigators from different disciplines and institutions.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in retinal biology or retinal disease.
• Experience with human retinal tissue or iPSC-derived retinal organoids.
• Experience with single-cell or bulk transcriptomic analysis.
• Experience with transcript or isoform analysis, including long-read sequencing.
• Experience with RNAscope or other RNA-localization approaches.
• Experience with immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy.
• Experience with quantitative image analysis.
• Experience in molecular genetics or inherited retinal disease.
• Experience with R, Python, or related computational and data-analysis approaches.

Responsibilities

• Design, plan, and execute research experiments or projects aligned with departmental goals.
• Gather, analyze, and interpret data using appropriate statistical methods and tools.
• Conduct literature reviews to inform research direction and methodologies.
• Prepare and publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at conferences and seminars.
• Collaborate with faculty, students, researchers, and participating laboratories.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students in research methodologies and techniques.
• Assist with grant proposals and funding applications.
• Prepare periodic reports and documents summarizing research progress and outcomes.
• Integrate and critically evaluate retinal gene-expression and transcript/isoform data from multiple laboratories and experimental systems.
• Work with computational collaborators to analyze single-cell, bulk, and long-read transcriptomic datasets, focusing on cell-type-specific expression and isoform usage of Usher syndrome genes.
• Compare findings across human retina, retinal organoids, and animal models to assess how well each system reproduces therapeutically important aspects of human retinal biology.
• Design and perform targeted validation experiments with collaborating laboratories, potentially including RNAscope or in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, quantitative imaging, and studies using human retinal tissue and retinal organoids.
• Evaluate the specificity and suitability of antibodies and other reagents for protein-localization studies.
• Coordinate data exchange and experimental activities among laboratories and maintain an integrated record of collaborative results.
• Present findings to collaborators, help establish project milestones and priorities, and follow up on discrepancies or unresolved questions.
• Lead preparation of collaborative manuscripts integrating existing and newly generated data.
• Contribute to subsequent studies of Usher syndrome retinal biology and therapeutic approaches.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree