Postdoctoral Research Associate
About The Position
The Guo Laboratory at the University of Florida is seeking a highly motivated, talented, and creative Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join our dynamic multi-disciplinary team. Our research sits at the cutting edge of regenerative medicine and neurobiology, utilizing state-of-the-art human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) models, 3D tissue engineering, and advanced multi-omic / bioinformatics integrations to model and dissect human diseases. Our lab focuses heavily on inventing and refining Next Approach Methodologies (NAMs)—specifically, brain organoids, Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) / Blood-Spinal Cord Barrier (BSCB) assembloids, and spinal cord/motor neuron models—to investigate the molecular and epitranscriptomic mechanisms driving neurodegenerative conditions like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), as well as neurodevelopmental conditions including autism and Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). The Guo Lab is exceptionally well-funded through major federal agencies and foundation awards—including NINDS, NIMH, NIDA, NIA, and the NSF—and regularly publishes in high-impact journals such as Nature, Cell Stem Cell, Nature Neuroscience, Nature Communications, Science Advances, Molecular Psychiatry, Advanced Science, The Journal of Clinical Investigation, Cell Discovery, and Protein & Cell. This position offers an unparalleled opportunity to spearhead high-profile projects, leverage robust resources, and work within the deeply collaborative, state-of-the-art academic ecosystem at UF Health and the McKnight Brain Institute.
Requirements
- Ph.D. in Neurobiology, Stem Cell Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or a closely related field.
Nice To Haves
- Strong technical background in mammalian cell culture (experience with hiPSC/hESC maintenance and directed differentiation is highly preferred, but not required for candidates with exceptional molecular biology or electrophysiology expertise).
- Hands-on experience with 3D organoid, assembloid, or microfluidic/organ-on-a-chip modeling.
- Experience with whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology or multi-electrode arrays.
- Familiarity with computational biology pipelines (e.g., handling transcriptomic or scRNA-seq datasets using R or Python).
Responsibilities
- Lead the directed differentiation of hiPSCs into highly enriched neural and vascular lineages (e.g., cortical neurons, motor neurons, astrocytes, microglia, brain endothelial cells, pericytes) to construct complex 3D assembloids and organ-on-a-chip platforms.
- Deploy CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, shRNA/ASO tools, and pharmacological screens to interrogate pathological cellular axes.
- Perform and integrate high-resolution functional readouts, including whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology, quantitative confocal/super-resolution microscopy, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), and spatial transcriptomics.
- Independently manage project milestones, draft high-impact manuscripts, present findings at premier international conferences, and mentor graduate and undergraduate students within a supportive lab ecosystem.
Benefits
- Comprehensive University of Florida benefits package.
- Access to a brand-new, modern laboratory space within the Department of Neuroscience and McKnight Brain Institute, equipped with dedicated stem cell suites, high-resolution imaging cores, and advanced electrophysiology rigs
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
