Postdoctoral Position in Complex Human Ex Vivo Models of Tissue Inflammation

About BioMed X

BioMed X is an independent research institute with sites in Heidelberg, Germany, New Haven, Connecticut, XSeed Labs in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and a worldwide network of partner locations. Together with our partners, we identify big biomedical research challenges and provide creative solutions by combining global crowdsourcing with local incubation of the world’s brightest early-career research talents. Each of the highly diverse research teams at BioMed X has access to state-of-the-art research infrastructure and is continuously guided by experienced mentors from academia and industry. At BioMed X, we combine the best of two worlds – academia and industry – and enable breakthrough innovation by making biomedical research more efficient, more agile, and more fun.

The Team

Arteries are crucial to maintain health and are compromised in multiple diseases. Current in vitro and in vivo models to study this complex tissue are labor-intensive and insufficient to understand human disease initiation, development, and resolution. Our group, led by Dr. Alicia Cutler, is bridging this gap by generating a de novo 3D in vitro artery with sufficient complexity to recapitulate key characteristics of arterial structure and function to mimic disease. We will deploy this organotypic human arterial model to recreate Giant Cell Arteritis pathology, confirm known biomarkers of disease, identify novel markers of disease progression to test targeted therapeutics with the long-term goal of advancing patient treatment and curing disease.

The Position

For our site in New Haven, Connecticut, we are looking for a highly enthusiastic postdoctoral researcher to help drive development of our artery model. We need a strong cell biologist who can take initiative on isolating primary cells, optimizing co-culture conditions, and developing longitudinal assays. The ideal candidate would have a Ph.D. degree or equivalent in cell biology, development biology, or immunology and a strong background in mammalian cell culture. Experience culturing primary cells and human cells is particularly desirable.

Required skills

• Extensive cell culture experience
• Fundamental familiarity with inflammatory signaling
• Ability to independently design, plan, execute, and interpret experiments
• Independent thinking
• Experience working in interdisciplinary teams
• Excellent communication skills in English

Additional preferred skills

• Experience maintaining primary human cell culture
• Familiarity with 3D culture practices
• Flow cytometry experience
• Fluorescent microscopy experience

What we offer

The post is offered for a 3-to-5-year period.

• International, diverse, and positive work atmosphere, flexible working environment
• A competitive salary
• Visa sponsorship as required
• Access to training and lecture courses in house as well as in neighboring research institutions on the Life Science Campus at Yale
• Access to a vast network in science and industry
• Employee benefits plan

The position is sponsored by AbbVie.

Candidates are requested to submit

• 1-page cover letter explaining the reasons of interest to join our team
• Curriculum Vitae outlining scientific interests, research achievements, a record of publications, future personal goals and extracurricular passions
• 2 reference letters

Please submit your application to the attention of Dr. Alicia Cutler before December 22nd, 2023 via our online Career Space. Applicants will be reviewed and interviewed on a rolling basis and the position is available to fill starting Nov 1st, 2023.