16 Postdoctoral Fellowship at Scripps Research, California, United States

The Sharpless Lab at Scripps Research, Department of Chemistry, is currently seeking talented Postdoctoral Associate candidates with a strong background in synthetic organic chemistry, preferably with knowledge of drug discovery, biological assays and polymer chemistry. The candidate will also need to be familiar with analytical techniques, including NMR and Mass Spectrometry.

The Sharpless lab continues to use click chemistry methods for application in drug discovery and chemical biology, focusing on cancer and infectious disease and applications in materials science. We are looking for a highly motivated, creative, and interactive scientist.

A Postdoctoral Associate position is available in Dr. Lisa Racki’s Lab at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA (rackilab.org) for a highly motivated scientist interested in biomolecular condensates and bacterial chromatin. Specifically, this project will investigate the role of polyphosphate condensates in the organization, structure, and dynamics of bacterial chromatin in the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This project uses an integrative approach to study bacterial chromatin structure at multiple scales, from in vitro biochemistry, to quantitative single cell timelapse imaging using microfluidics, to macroscopic studies of biofilm communities.

Postdoctoral positions are available in Dr. Jiang Zhu’s laboratory for highly motivated candidates who are interested in vaccine development for viral pathogens such as HIV-1, HCV, Flu, SARS-CoV-1/2, MERS-CoV, Ebola/Marburg, RSV/hMPV, and ZIKV. Dr. Zhu holds a joint appointment in the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology (ISCB) and the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research in La Jolla, CA (https://www.scripps.edu). Dr. Zhu’s laboratory combines structure-based antigen design, protein nanoparticle engineering, animal immunization, single-cell technologies, and immunological assays to develop and evaluate next-generation vaccines. Multiple vaccine candidates are currently under clinical development with ongoing and planned phase-I human trials. Details of Dr. Zhu’s laboratory, on-going research projects, and recent publications can be found at www.jzhulab.org. Dr. Zhu is also the co-founder of Uvax Bio LLC (www.uvaxbio.com), a vaccine biotechnology company that aims to address global health challenges with innovative vaccine solutions. An HIV-1 nanoparticle vaccine candidate developed by the Zhu lab is currently in the Phase 1 clinical trial in Australia (ANZCTR registration #: ACTRN12624000064505), which is sponsored by Uvax Bio. An NIH-sponsored Phase 1 clinical trial is under preparation and is expected to take place in early 2025.

Dr. Ahmed H. Badran’s laboratory at Scripps Research seeks to hire 3-4 highly motivated Postdoctoral Associates. The Badran Lab aims to address technical shortcomings in conserved cellular processes through innovative synthetic/chemical biology, directed evolution, genome editing and bioengineering approaches. Specifically, we aspire to develop tools for accelerating the evolution of macromolecular biosynthetic machinery and whole organisms. The recruited postdoctoral scholar(s) will lead diverse projects in the following areas:

1. Targeted antibiotics discovery for microbiome regulation;
2. Prediction of antimicrobial resistance modalities;
3. Comprehensive strategies for genetic code expansion;
4. Improving carbon fixation through RuBisCO directed evolution; and
5. Development of polymerases for xeno nucleic acid amplification

The Briney Lab is seeking a Postdoctoral Associate to join us in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research. We use a combination of advanced single cell multi-omics techniques and sophisticated computational tools to deeply explore the antibody response to emerging infectious diseases. We are looking for a highly motivated individual who will contribute to antibody discovery projects against a variety of viral targets, including Lassa, Ebola, HIV, SARS-CoV-2, influenza and others. The antibodies we discover have potential use as therapeutics or as templates for rational vaccine development. 

The Department of Neuroscience at Scripps Research has open Postdoctoral Associate positions in the new, well-funded lab of Dr. Chen Ran. We are interested in understanding, on the cellular, circuit, and systems levels, the neural basis of interoception, i.e., how the brain receives signals from the visceral organs within the body to generate our internal senses. Combining state-of-the-art in vivo functional imaging, electrophysiological recordings, mouse genetics, neuronal activity manipulation, animal behavior, and computational approaches, our lab seeks to unravel how the nervous system detects mechanical, chemical, and thermal stimuli from the periphery to synthesize our internal sensations, including satiety, hunger, nausea, hypoxia, and visceral pain. Our research discoveries will uncover fundamental principles of how the brain encodes and processes information, shedding light on the development of novel therapeutics for various conditions, such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, indigestion, eating disorders, pulmonary diseases, nausea, visceral pain, and infection-induced sickness behaviors. Find out more from our group website: https://www.ran-lab.org/

We are looking for talented, highly motivated post-doctoral candidates with a strong interest in basic virology and immunology. The successful candidate will join a team investigating mechanisms of virus-host interactions, with a focus on identifying cellular antiviral responses and molecular signatures linked to severe disease. These studies will utilize systems biology, including large-scale technologies (CRISPR/RNAi, proteomics/ chemoproteomics, chemical biology, NextGen Sequencing, etc.), as well as fundamental virology and more traditional cellular/molecular biology and biochemistry-based approaches. The person filling this position is expected to play an important intellectual, technical, and scientific role in projects. The candidate will also assist with the preparation of grant applications and manuscripts, and contribute to additional projects in the lab. (Position supported by NIH funding.)

The Dr. Lotz lab at Scripps Research is looking for a highly motivated individual with strong background and technical expertise in cell and molecular biology and bioinformatics for our program on transcription factors in joint biology and arthritis pathogenesis. In a newly funded program about mechanisms of joint tissue destruction and joint pain, we are using Omics technologies (RNA-seq, single cell-RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, epigenetic analyses, spatial transcriptomics) to identify dysregulated transcription factors and test candidate genes in vitro and using mutant mouse strains. Genes that are identified to be essential regulators of homeostatic processes or to promote arthritis pathogenesis are tested in viral gene delivery approaches and used in drug screening assays.

Postdoctoral Associates are appointed positions for the purpose of developing scholarly competence, working under the supervision of a Scripps Research Faculty member.  These appointments are normally not renewed beyond a total of five years.  Postdoctoral Associates cannot apply for external funding either as a Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator without prior approval from a Departmental Chair.  Postdoctoral Associates do not have consulting privileges.

A Postdoctoral Associate position is available in the Lotz laboratory at Scripps Research, La Jolla, California. The Lotz lab focuses on the discovery of molecular and cellular mechanisms that are dysfunctional in spine and joint diseases and other musculoskeletal conditions during early stages of pathogenesis to create a foundation for therapeutic interventions to prevent disease onset and slow progression.

Discovery is pursued by the application of multiple Omics technologies (bulk RNA-sequencing, single cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics). Genes of interest are tested for function using in vitro models and rodent models of arthritis and intervertebral disc degeneration.

Include a CV, a brief description of research interest, and three references in a single document to the application.

Postdoctoral Associates are appointed positions for the purpose of developing scholarly competence, working under the supervision of a Scripps Research Faculty member.  These appointments are normally not renewed beyond a total of five years.  Postdoctoral Associates cannot apply for external funding either as a Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator without prior approval from a Departmental Chair.  Postdoctoral Associates do not have consulting privileges.

The Lippi lab at Scripps Research seeks a Postdoctoral Associate as part of a growing team of investigators studying how a class of non-coding RNAs, called microRNAs, instructs brain development. We have developed molecular tools to map and manipulate microRNA-target interactions in specific cell types of the brain. We are now recruiting researchers that want to apply these tools to understand microRNAs mechanisms establishing neuronal identity and wiring neural circuits. Collectively, our work spans multiple disciplines, including tool development, molecular, cellular and system neuroscience. For more information, please visit www.lippilab.org .

The Lippi lab is a fun, fast-paced, results-driven, highly collaborative environment. We are located at the Dorris Neuroscience Center, part of the Department of Neuroscience at The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla. We have many collaborators in the San Diego Mesa that includes other stellar institutions like UCSD, Salk and Sanford Burnham. The workplace culture is diverse, dynamic, and progressive. The lifestyle in San Diego is truly amazing, with a year-round temperate climate, and easy access to the ocean, the mountains, and the desert. The successful applicant is expected to present data at lab and departmental meetings and scientific conferences, prepare manuscripts, mentor junior lab members, and apply for external fellowships. We expect the candidate to be familiar with basic molecular biology, sterile, and cell culture techniques; animal model research; the operation of standard lab equipment. A successful applicant will have excellent communication skills and the ability to interact with all levels of lab members and with external contacts in the research environment. The applicant should have creative problem-solving skills and be able to work independently and as part of a team. Review of applicants will start immediately and continue until the positions are filled. Interested individuals should submit a single pdf file with all of the following 1) CV; 2) Research Statement (1 page); 3) Statement of career goals (1/2 page); 4) Contact information for 2-3 references.

We are seeking a motivated postdoctoral associate in the Dr. Srinivasan lab to work in the area of neural the gut-brain axis and neuroendocrine biology of lipid metabolism. It is now well-established that communication between the brain and the gut, the so-called gut-brain axis, regulates important aspects of behavior and metabolism in many species. However, the salient mechanisms and molecular features of gut-brain communication remain mysterious. In our lab, we utilize C. elegans as a model system for our discovery studies of gut-brain communication, in which we utilize cutting-edge technologies to measure dynamic neural and metabolic activity in living animals. Such cell-based readouts are coupled with changes in behavior and metabolism, to uncover novel pathways all the way from molecules to whole-animal biology.  

The Andersen lab is working on diverse projects using computational genomics approaches and high-throughput experiments to study emerging viruses and the outbreaks they cause, including arenaviruses, filoviruses, coronaviruses, influenza viruses, orthopoxviruses, and arboviruses. We use an integrated approach of ‘field’ work in Africa, technology development, and computational biology to investigate these viruses.

We are looking for a computational postdoc with experience in phylogenetics to help out with our highly collaborative work on H5N1, SARS-CoV-2, and Mpox, and lead new projects across our range of viruses and research interests. This position is part of our larger initiatives, including PREVENT (https://preventcohorts.org), SEARCH (https://searchcovid.info/), Outbreak.info (https://outbreak.info/), the Center for Viral Systems Biology (https://cvisb.org/), the Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Consortium (https://vhfc.org/), the West African Research Network for Infectious Diseases (https://warn-id.org/), Modjadji (https://modjadji.info/), and the WestNile 4K Project (https://westnile4k.org/).

The Diercks Lab at Scripps Research is looking to hire two highly motivated Postdoctoral Associates. As a newly established lab in the Department of Chemistry, we are seeking candidates with a strong background in Synthetic Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Synthetic Chemistry, or Chemical/Biomolecular Engineering.

Research in the Diercks Lab is highly interdisciplinary and leverages techniques ranging from synthetic and chemical biology to nanoscience and materials chemistry. Projects in the lab aim at applying synthetic and chemical biology principles to devise (i) systems for the continuous evolution of biomacromolecules, as well as to (ii) apply evolutionary principles to optimize lipid nanoparticles for applications in drug- and gene delivery. Find out more from our group website: https://www.dierckslab.com

A successful candidate should be self-motivated, and detail oriented with a strong background in molecular biology, chemistry, or chemical/biomolecular engineering. Scientific competence includes independent research capabilities, generating publications, and contributing to grant writing. It is important that the applicant has clear oral and written communication skills and would work with and mentor students.