Research Fellow - Neurology - Cousin lab

Mayo Clinic•Rochester, MN

2d•$67,282 - $78,711•Onsite

About The Position

The Cousin Lab at Mayo Clinic is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to contribute to a growing rare disease therapeutics program with an initial emphasis on POLR2A-related disorders. This work will also support broader efforts in the lab, including genetic forms of ALS and other monogenic neurologic conditions. Projects may include iPSC-derived neural models, variant-mechanism studies, RNA-targeted therapies, genome editing, sequencing-based biomarkers, and collaboration with Mayo Clinic precision medicine and N-of-1 therapeutic programs, core facilities, and external academic partners. The Cousin Lab at Mayo Clinic develops mechanism-guided, gene-targeted therapeutic strategies for rare neurogenetic diseases. Our work integrates clinical genetics, patient-derived biospecimens, functional genomics, iPSC-based disease modeling, preclinical therapeutic testing, and clinical translation. The fellow will lead experimental and analytical components of translational rare disease projects. The role includes developing and characterizing patient-derived and engineered cell models; defining variant effects and disease mechanisms; designing and evaluating RNA-targeted and gene-editing therapeutic strategies; and integrating functional, genomic, and clinical data to prioritize treatment approaches. The position involves substantial wet-lab research, quantitative data analysis, manuscript and grant preparation, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The fellow will join a collaborative Mayo Clinic environment with access to clinical expertise, core facilities, genomic and sequencing resources, translational infrastructure, and multi-institutional rare disease networks. This position offers the opportunity to develop an independent research niche at the interface of rare disease biology, human neural modeling, and targeted therapeutic development; publish first-author manuscripts; present at national and international meetings; and pursue external fellowship or career-development funding.

Requirements

PhD or MD/PhD degree
Experience with iPSC-derived neural models
Experience with variant-mechanism studies
Experience with RNA-targeted therapies
Experience with genome editing
Experience with sequencing-based biomarkers
Experience with precision medicine
Experience with N-of-1 therapeutic programs
Experience with functional genomics
Experience with preclinical therapeutic testing
Experience with clinical translation
Experience with molecular, cellular, imaging, and electrophysiologic assays
Experience with quantitative data analysis
Strong written and verbal communication skills

Nice To Haves

Experience with rare disease therapeutics
Experience with POLR2A-related disorders
Experience with genetic forms of ALS
Experience with monogenic neurologic conditions
Experience with CRISPR/base-editing platforms
Experience with ASO/siRNA
Experience with allele-selective or splice-modifying approaches
Experience with delivery systems
Experience with target-engagement or rescue assays
Experience with grant preparation
Experience with manuscript preparation
Experience with cross-disciplinary collaboration
Experience with mentoring junior team members

Responsibilities

Develop and characterize patient-derived and engineered disease models, including fibroblasts, iPSCs, isogenic controls, iPSC-derived neural cell types, and organoid or multicelluar systems.
Design and execute molecular, cellular, imaging, electrophysiologic, and functional genomics assays to define variant effects, disease mechanisms, cellular phenotypes, biomarkers, and therapeutic response.
Develop and evaluate RNA-targeted and gene-editing strategies, including ASO/siRNA, allele-selective or splice-modifying approaches, CRISPR/base-editing platforms, delivery systems, and target-engagement or rescue assays.
Integrate variant interpretation, sequencing data, and functional readouts to prioritize therapeutic strategies and evaluate loss-of-function, dominant-negative, allele-specific, and related mechanisms.
Coordinate with the PI, clinicians, partners, core facilities, biobanks, and external collaborators to align patient samples, disease models, assays, and preclinical workflows.
Manage projects with rigor and reproducibility; prepare figures, reports, manuscripts, presentations, and grant/fellowship applications; and contribute to mentoring junior team members.