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

Mass General Brigham • Boston, MA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Indzhykulian Laboratory at Mass Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to lead and coordinate a collaborative research program investigating the retinal biology of Usher syndrome and advancing therapeutic approaches for inherited sensory disorders. The project integrates data and expertise spanning human retina, human retinal organoids, and animal models. Its initial goal is to define therapeutically relevant expression and isoform usage of Usher syndrome genes in human retina, compare findings across species and models, and establish evidence-based priorities for retinal cell targeting and therapeutic development.

The fellow will integrate published and unpublished findings from collaborating laboratories, identify agreement and discrepancies across datasets and experimental models, and design targeted experiments to resolve key questions. This work will support the biological foundation for developing and evaluating gene-replacement, genome-editing, and other therapies for Usher syndrome. The fellow will work in the Indzhykulian Laboratory and collaborate with researchers at Mass Eye and Ear, Harvard-affiliated institutions, and research centers in the United States and internationally.

The position combines experimental retinal biology, genomic data analysis, and translational therapeutic development. It is part of the Eaton-Peabody Laboratories at Mass Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School, where the laboratory studies sensory function and disease, including Usher syndrome and therapeutic approaches for inherited and acquired deafness. The position is available pending finalization of funding and institutional approvals. This is an onsite role in Boston, with 40 scheduled hours per week on the day shift. The role does not require patient care.

Requirements

• A doctorate in a related field is required; acceptable qualifications include 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 is 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.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Scientific curiosity, critical thinking, strong organization and communication, and ability to work effectively across laboratories and disciplines.
• Comfort taking scientific ownership of a complex project while collaborating 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 and 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 them 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-associated genes.
• Compare findings across human retina, retinal organoids, and animal models to assess which systems reproduce therapeutically important aspects of human retinal biology.
• Design and perform targeted validation experiments with participating laboratories, potentially including RNAscope or in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, quantitative imaging, and studies in 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 participating laboratories and maintain an integrated record of 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: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree