Postdoctoral Associate - Immunotherapy of hematologic malignancies

Baylor College of Medicine; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 62,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, seeks a Postdoctoral Associate in immunotherapy of hematologic malignancies. The position focuses on understanding T-cell dysfunction and immune evasion with translational aims; work includes human samples and animal models and potential tailoring for physician-scientists.

The laboratory uses scRNA-seq, flow cytometry, and bioinformatics to drive high-impact research, with opportunities for publication and extramural funding.

Qualifications

• MD or Ph.D. in Basic Science, Health Science, or a related field.
• Experience in cellular immunology, flow cytometry, bioinformatics, and data analysis.
• Strong publication record and ability to work independently.

Responsibilities

• Designs and executes advanced immunological experiments on T-cell dysfunction in hematologic malignancies.
• Applies scRNA-seq, multicolor flow cytometry, and systems biology analyses to identify targets.
• Develops and optimizes protocols integrating molecular biology and computational pipelines.
• Summarizes findings in manuscripts and contributes to grant applications.
• Mentors junior staff and fosters collaborative scientific environment.

Skills

Cellular immunology

Flow cytometry

Bioinformatics

Data analysis

Education

MD or Ph.D. in Basic Science, Health Science, or a related field

Tools

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq)

R

Python

Seurat

Scanpy

Job description

Postdoctoral Associate - Immunotherapy of hematologic malignancies

Division: Medicine
Work Arrangement: Onsite only
Location: Houston, TX
Salary Range: $62,232 - $82,000
FLSA Status: Exempt
Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Summary

A newly funded postdoctoral position is available in Dr.
Luznik's lab in the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine for highly motivated individuals interested in immunotherapy of hematologic malignancies. Central to this laboratory’s mission is an in-depth exploration of the basic mechanisms of immune response with a focus on direct clinical application.

The long-term goal for the Postdoctoral Associate position is to generate several high-impact manuscripts and competitively apply for extramural funding toward an independent research career. The position can be tailored for physician-scientists with an interest in immunotherapy of leukemias. All the research work is published in leading journals, and the lab is a part of a large and vibrant cancer immunology and immunotherapy research community at Baylor College of Medicine.

Baylor College of Medicine typically follows similar to the NIH stipulated stipend guidelines for Postdoctoral Associates.

Job Duties

• Designs and executes advanced immunological research experiments focused on understanding T-cell dysfunction and immune evasion mechanisms in hematologic malignancies, using both human samples and animal models.
• Applies high-dimensional data analysis techniques, including single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), multicolor flow cytometry, and systems biology approaches, to uncover novel immune cell states and therapeutic targets.
• Develops and optimizes experimental protocols for cellular immunology, including trajectory inference and dimensionality reduction methods such as tSNE and UMAP, tailored to translational immunotherapy applications.
• Analyzes and interprets complex datasets using bioinformatics tools (e.g., Seurat, Scanpy) and programming languages such as R or Python, contributing to mechanistic insights and clinical relevance.
• Establishes and refines research protocols that integrate molecular biology and computational pipelines to support reproducibility and scalability of immunological assays.
• Summarizes research findings in high-impact manuscripts and contributes to grant applications, with the goal of securing extramural funding and advancing toward an independent research career.
• Manages laboratory operations that includes oversight of data integrity, compliance with institutional protocols, and coordination of collaborative projects within Baylor’s cancer immunology community.
• Uses human samples and animal models, and utilizes systems biology to explore the mechanism of T-cell dysfunction and immune evasion in leukemia.
• Mentors junior research staff and trainees.
• Fosters a collaborative and intellectually rigorous environment that supports career development and scientific excellence.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• MD or Ph.D. in Basic Science, Health Science, or a related field.
• No experience required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in techniques of cellular immunology, multicolor flow cytometry, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and advanced data analysis.
• Experience with single-cell transcriptomic analysis will be given high priority.
• Strong interests in both mechanistic and translational aspects of work.
• Ability to work independently and in a collaborative environment.
• Enthusiasm for science, effective communication skills, self-motivation, and a record of publication.
• Be a good team player is important.

Baylor College of Medicine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Equal Access Employer.

PD; SN

Requisition ID: 25130

Baylor College of Medicine fosters diversity among its students, trainees, faculty, and staff as a prerequisite to accomplishing our institutional mission and setting standards for excellence in training healthcare providers and biomedical scientists, promoting scientific innovation, and providing patient-centered care. Baylor College of Medicine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Equal Access Employer.