Postdoctoral Fellow - RNA Metabolism, Arginine Methylation, and Cancer Immunology

City of Hope • Duarte, CA

7d

About The Position

The laboratory of Dr. Yanzhong Yang in the Department of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow. The role investigates how protein arginine methylation regulates RNA metabolism and gene expression in cancer and immune cells. The laboratory studies how protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) and methylarginine reader proteins control RNA-processing events—including pre-mRNA splicing, alternative polyadenylation, and RNA modification—and how disruption of these pathways contributes to cancer development and antitumor immunity.

Research integrates mechanistic RNA biology with genetically engineered mouse models, functional genomics, and cancer immunology. Projects address arginine methylation in spliceosome function, RNA-processing factor regulation, tumor evolution, immune-cell differentiation, and therapeutic responses. The successful candidate will have opportunities to develop independent research directions at the interface of RNA biology, epigenetics, immunology, and cancer biology.

The fellow will join a collaborative, multidisciplinary research environment with access to genomics, single-cell, proteomics, and animal-model resources. The laboratory offers mentorship and opportunities for scientific independence, career advancement, and collaboration across cancer biology, immunology, and RNA biology programs.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, RNA Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Cancer Biology, Immunology, or a related discipline.
• Strong publication record with at least one first-author research article.
• Demonstrated ability to design, execute, and troubleshoot independent research projects.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly motivated, creative, and capable of working independently as well as in collaborative team environments.

Nice To Haves

• Expertise in RNA splicing, alternative splicing, RNA processing, or RNA-protein interactions.
• Expertise in cancer biology or cancer genomics.
• Expertise in tumor immunology and immune-cell biology.
• Experience with genetically engineered mouse models, conditional knockout systems, or in vivo cancer studies.
• Experience with next-generation sequencing approaches, including RNA-seq, long-read RNA sequencing, CLIP-seq, single-cell RNA-seq, or CRISPR-based functional screening.
• Experience with computational analysis of genomic and transcriptomic datasets.

Responsibilities

• Investigate how PRMTs and methylarginine reader proteins regulate pre-mRNA splicing and alternative RNA processing in normal and malignant cells.
• Functionally characterize RNA-binding proteins and spliceosomal components in cancer and immune cells.
• Develop and analyze genetically engineered mouse models of cancer and immune dysfunction.
• Integrate transcriptomic, single-cell genomic, epigenomic, and proteomic data to uncover novel therapeutic vulnerabilities.

What This Job Offers

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