09 Postdoctoral Fellowship at National Jewish Health, Denver, United States

A postdoctoral position in immunology is available in the laboratory of Dr. Magdalena Gorska (http://www.njhealth.org/gorska-lab). The lab studies non-genetic inheritance of allergic diseases. It is increasingly recognized that non-DNA sequence-based information can be inherited across several generations in organisms ranging from yeast to plants to humans. This information emerges as a result of parental interactions with an environment or due to parental disease. The non-genetic inheritance is postulated to contribute to the development of allergies and asthma. In epidemiological studies, childhood asthma positively associates with maternal stress and maternal exposures to air pollutants, and negatively, with maternal exposure to microorganisms and microbial products present in the farming environment.  Mechanisms how maternal environment and health status affect predisposition to asthma in offspring are unclear. Dr. Gorska’s lab is focused on addressing these knowledge gaps. The goals of the lab are to define maternal information that is gained and transmitted to offspring or lost and not transferred to offspring, elucidate routes of information transfer (placenta, breast milk, gametes), delineate offspring cells and pathways that are programmed by this information, and study how these cells and pathways contribute to the development of asthma. The lab has particular interest in cells and pathways of the immune system. The translational goals are to identify early-life biomarkers of predisposition to asthma in humans and define molecular targets for development of preventive drugs. To accomplish these goals, the lab uses mouse models, blood samples from young children with asthma, high-parameter flow cytometry, bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing, ATAC-sequencing, and many other state-of-the-art methods and techniques in immunology, developmental biology and biochemistry.

National Jewish Health, a world leader in respiratory research, in Denver, CO invites applications for a post-doctoral position under the mentorship of Dr. Anthony N. Gerber. This position is focused on genetics and genomics of lung disease, with active projects directed at understanding pharmacogenomics and environmental risk in asthma, and the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in relationship to MUC5B regulation. Experimental approaches include deep sequencing based methods, such as PRO-seq, ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, and MicroC, bioinformatics analysis, and functional genomics. Applicants must have a Ph.D. and exhibit expertise in molecular biology and/or bioinformatics. This highly collaborative position is suitable for scientists planning careers in either industry or academic science, and training opportunities to facilitate career development are available.

The Reinhardt Lab in the Department of Immunology and Genomic Medicine at National Jewish Health in Denver is seeking a motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow with an interest in adaptive and innate immunity. Projects in the lab span interests related to type 2 inflammation, parasitic infection, chronic lung disease, and autoimmune/autoinflammatory conditions. Applicants are expected to work well with others in a highly collaborative environment making contributions across multiple projects in addition to driving their own research program. Candidates must have experience or a willingness to learn techniques related to both mouse and human immune models. Expertise in molecular biology, flow cytometry, fluorescent microscopy, cell culture, mouse genetics, and bioinformatics is strongly valued. We encourage anyone with a strong work ethic, high resilience, good communication skills, and desire to learn and make an impact with their science should apply. In particular, candidates that bring novel experiences, backgrounds, training and perspectives are highly valued. If interested, please email Dr. Lee Reinhardt ([email protected]) with questions. Candidates are encouraged to submit a cover letter explaining how their interests synergize with those of the lab.

Dr. Hisert is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to work on a project investigating the interactions of macrophages with various CF airway pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and nontuberculous mycobacteria. The project involves isolation of cells from human blood, tissue culture, bacterial culture of BSL2 organisms, and infection of human cells. The project may also involve flow cytometry, immunoblotting, and animal models of disease. Success will require knowledge of innate immunity, microbiology, and host pathogen interactions. A strong background in at least one of these three areas is essential. This position will help prepare the postdoctoral fellow for an independent academic research career. The fellow will have opportunities to help develop new research projects, lead and collaborate on manuscripts with a multidisciplinary team, receive mentored grant-writing experience, mentor team members including graduate students, and present research at national meetings. The fellow will also have opportunities to develop their own research program through pilot work and/or grants. Fellows can also take advantage of the many workshops, seminars, and other trainings offered at National Jewish Health.

The successful applicant will join a new project focused on investigating the mechanisms linking mis-expression of the mucin MUC5B in the distal lung and terminal bronchioles to fibroblast accumulation and activation in the context of persistent lung fibrosis. Most of the experimental work will be with a mouse model of lung fibrosis, with translational studies being conducted using primary human lung cells and tissues. The project will require a strong background in mouse breeding, multi-parameter flow cytometry, preparation of tissues and pathophysiologic assessments of lung disease, and basic laboratory skills including cell culture, RNA isolation, Western blotting and fluorescence microscopy. A basic understanding of bioinformatic approaches to analyze big RNA-sequencing data sets is desirable.  Post-doctoral Associates in our lab are offered opportunities for academic career advancement through mentorship, writing, attending workshops, by presenting their work at national meetings and by seeking extramural funding. Successful applicants will have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in a relevant field, and quality publications in peer-reviewed journal. 

The Majka Lab at National Jewish Health and is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join their innovative team studying lung stem cell fate and function. Our lab has discovered and characterized a novel population of resident lung mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in murine and human systems. Research efforts are focused on understanding how these stem cells regulate tissue homeostasis as well as remodeling at the expense of repair during chronic lung disease. Training on specific techniques used in the laboratory will be provided. General techniques utilized in the lab include:  in vivo and in vitro modeling of stem cell fate and function, flow cytometry, cell culture, measuring physiology, confocal & 2-photon microscopy and molecular biology (PCR, Western blots, transfections, etc.)

The Seibold Laboratory is a cutting-edge, NIH funded, laboratory focused on elucidating the pathobiological basis of asthma and other complex lung and allergic diseases. Our goal is to discover pathobiological subgroups of disease (termed disease endotypes) and the genetic, environmental, and immune factors driving their development. We are accomplishing these goals through the integration of genomic endotyping studies of large patient cohorts with in vitro mechanistic studies of human organoid culture models. Ultimately, we will leverage the information gained from our research to develop precision medicine approaches for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of these diseases. The Seibold Laboratory is composed of a multi-disciplinary team of “wet lab” cell, airway, and molecular biologists integrated with “dry lab” computational biologists, bioinformaticians, and statistical geneticists.

The Seibold Laboratory is a cutting-edge, NIH funded, laboratory focused on elucidating the pathobiological basis of asthma and other complex lung and allergic diseases. Our goal is to discover pathobiological subgroups of disease (termed disease endotypes) and the genetic, environmental, and immune factors driving their development. We are accomplishing these goals through the integration of genomic endotyping studies of large patient cohorts with in vitro mechanistic studies of human organoid culture models. Ultimately, we will leverage the information gained from our research to develop precision medicine approaches for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of these diseases. The Seibold Laboratory is composed of a multi-disciplinary team of “wet lab” cell, airway, and molecular biologists integrated with “dry lab” computational biologists, bioinformaticians, and statistical geneticists.