Postdoctoral Fellow – EXPERIMENTAL LUNG CANCER BIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, AND INTERCEPTION

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 64,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Paid vacation

Dental and vision

Job summary

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX is seeking a talented postdoctoral fellow to investigate early events in lung cancer development. You will study epithelial cell states, injury, oncogenic signaling, and immune niches to identify prevention strategies, using human tissues and mouse models.

Responsibilities include mechanistic experiments, omics data interpretation, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or MD/PhD in cancer biology, molecular or cellular biology, immunology, pulmonary biology, genetics, pathology, microbiology, or related field.
• Strong foundation in molecular and cellular biology and commitment to mechanistic biomedical research.
• Hands-on experience with mouse models, cell culture, organoids, molecular biology, genetic manipulation, flow cytometry, microscopy, IHC/IF.
• Ability to design, execute, troubleshoot, and interpret experiments with increasing independence.
• Evidence of research productivity includes publications or manuscripts in preparation.
• Excellent organizational, collaborative, spoken, and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and conduct studies using mouse models of lung cancer development and other human-relevant systems.
• Establish and manipulate primary cells, organoids, and ex vivo models.
• Perform molecular assays, histology, immunohistochemistry, imaging, and perturbation studies.
• Interpret single-cell sequencing and spatial profiling data in connection with human tissues.
• Lead manuscript preparation and contribute to grant applications.

Skills

Molecular biology

Cell biology

Immunology

Experimental design

Data interpretation

Education

Ph.D. in cancer biology

M.D./Ph.D.

Tools

Mouse models

Organoid systems

Flow cytometry

Immunohistochemistry

Job description

The Humam Kadara Laboratory in the Department of Translational Molecular Pathology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is seeking talented and highly motivated postdoctoral fellows to investigate the cellular and ecological mechanisms governing the earliest stages of lung cancer development and to identify new strategies for cancer prevention and interception.

Our laboratory studies the evolution of lung adenocarcinoma from normal lung tissue through premalignancy and invasive cancer. Areas of particular interest include injury-induced epithelial plasticity; KRT8-positive alveolar intermediate and progenitor cells; oncogenic KRAS signaling; inflammatory and immune microenvironments; tumor-immune co-evolution; and the contribution of the host microbiome to lung cancer pathogenesis. The laboratory combines human tissues with genetically engineered and carcinogen-associated mouse models, lineage tracing, organoid systems, preclinical intervention studies, and state-of-the-art single-cell and spatial profiling technologies.

Representative publications include Sinjab et al., Cancer Discovery (2021); Rahal et al., Cancer Immunology Research (2024), Han et al., Nature (2024); and Peng et al., Cancer Cell (2026). These studies have defined the spatial and cellular architecture of early lung adenocarcinoma, characterized immune-cell states associated with disease evolution, identified KRT8-positive alveolar intermediate cells as potential precursors of lung adenocarcinoma, and uncovered inflammatory epithelial–immune niches that may be targeted for early cancer interception.

The successful candidate will lead mechanistic studies examining how epithelial cell states, environmental or inflammatory injury, oncogenic signaling, and immune-cell niches interact to initiate and promote lung cancer. The fellow will also investigate how vulnerabilities arising during these early stages can be targeted through mechanism-based prevention and interception strategies.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Depending on the candidate’s experience and interests, research activities may include:

• Designing and conducting studies using genetically engineered, lineage-tracing, carcinogen-associated, and other human-relevant mouse models of lung cancer development.
• Establishing and manipulating primary-cell, organoid, and other ex vivo model systems.
• Performing molecular and cellular assays, flow cytometry, tissue processing, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, microscopy, and genetic or pharmacologic perturbation studies.
• Conducting preclinical intervention studies targeting oncogenic, inflammatory, immune, or epithelial-plasticity pathways.
• Interpreting single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, multiplex imaging, and related multimodal data.
• Working closely with computational scientists, pathologists, immunologists, pulmonary biologists, and clinical investigators to connect experimental findings with human lung tissues and high-dimensional molecular data.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The postdoctoral fellow will:

• Develop advanced expertise in experimental cancer biology, lung epithelial biology, tumor immunology, and cancer prevention and interception.
• Learn and master relevant in vivo, ex vivo, and molecular approaches for investigating lung cancer initiation and progression.
• Develop rigorous skills in experimental design, quantitative data analysis, interpretation, reproducibility, and translational validation.
• Gain experience integrating mechanistic experimental findings with single-cell, spatial, genomic, and immunogenomic data.
• Lead the preparation of manuscripts and scientific presentations and contribute to fellowship and grant applications.
• Develop skills in scientific writing, oral communication, mentoring, networking, career planning, and other areas important for an independent scientific career.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applicants should have a Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in cancer biology, molecular or cellular biology, immunology, pulmonary biology, genetics, pathology, microbiology, or a closely related discipline.

Candidates should have:

• A strong foundation in molecular and cellular biology and a demonstrated commitment to mechanistic biomedical research.
• Hands-on experience with relevant experimental approaches, such as mouse models, animal procedures, mammalian cell culture, primary-cell or organoid systems, molecular biology, genetic manipulation, flow cytometry, microscopy, immunohistochemistry, or immunofluorescence.
• The ability to design, execute, troubleshoot, and interpret experiments with increasing independence.
• Evidence of research productivity, including peer-reviewed publications or strong manuscripts in preparation.
• Excellent organizational, collaborative, spoken, and written communication skills.

Experience with mouse models of cancer or tissue injury, lineage tracing, lung biology, tumor immunology, preclinical therapeutic studies is highly desirable. Previous computational expertise is not required, although an interest in interpreting high-dimensional molecular data and collaborating with computational investigators is encouraged.

This appointment is not part of a clinical training program. Individuals holding an M.D. degree or equivalent are not permitted to engage in patient-care activities as part of this position.

All duties and responsibilities will be carried out in compliance with institutional policies, ethical research standards, and applicable federal and state regulations.

Additional information about the Kadara Laboratory is available on the Kadara Laboratory website. The laboratory provides a collaborative training environment in which fellows interact with multidisciplinary teams of basic scientists, computational scientists, pathologists, physicians, and physician-scientists.

POSITION INFORMATION

This is a full-time, laboratory-based position at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Under MD Anderson’s currently published FY26 stipend scale, postdoctoral compensation ranges from $64,000 to $76,400, depending on years of relevant postgraduate experience. Final compensation will follow the institutional stipend scale in effect at the time of appointment.

Benefits-eligible postdoctoral fellows receive a competitive benefits package that includes medical insurance, paid vacation and sick leave, enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, fitness-center membership, and access to dental, vision, disability, health-care spending, dependent-care spending, and employee-assistance programs.