Postdoctoral Fellow, Orthopaedic Infection & Biofilm

Mass General Brigham Incorporated; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 81,000; Full time

Job summary

Mass General Brigham Incorporated seeks a full-time post-doctoral research fellow for the Harris Orthopaedics Laboratory in Boston. The role focuses on translational research in polymeric materials for orthopaedics and periprosthetic joint infection models.

Responsibilities include establishing infection models, characterizing bacteria and host responses, advanced imaging, transcriptomics, and preclinical support, with supervision of engineers and collaboration across teams.

Qualifications

• BSL-2 lab safety practices knowledge required.
• PhD in Biological Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences or Biomedical Engineering with strong microbiology background.
• Experience with host-pathogen studies and transcriptomics preferred.

Responsibilities

• Establish monomicrobial and polymicrobial cultures relevant to musculoskeletal infections.
• Characterize bacteria (planktonic and biofilms) using microscopy and standard assays.
• Assess antibiotic resistance, tolerance and virulence.
• Establish cell cultures and perform molecular/biochemical assays.
• Perform molecular characterization of pathogens and host responses (DNA/RNA, RT-PCR, RNA-Seq).
• Utilize advanced microscopy including fluorescence, confocal, live imaging, and electron microscopy.
• Conduct bioinformatics analyses on bacterial transcriptomics for biofilm studies.
• Study host-pathogen interactions in in vitro and in vivo models.
• Test drug susceptibility and antibacterial properties of material surfaces.
• Assist in designing in vitro periprosthetic joint infection models and support preclinical studies.
• Supervise biomedical research engineers and collaborate across teams.

Skills

Microbiology

Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus epidermidis

Gram-negative bacteria

BSL-2 safety

Flow cytometry

VITEK

Electron microscopy

Real-time PCR

Education

PhD in Biological Sciences

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

PhD in Biomedical Engineering

Tools

Flow cytometry

VITEK

Electron microscopy (SEM/TEM)

Real-time PCR

Job description

Mass General Brigham Incorporated seeks a full-time post-doctoral research fellow for the Harris Orthopaedics Laboratory in Boston. The role focuses on translational research in polymeric materials for orthopaedics and periprosthetic joint infection models.

Responsibilities include establishing infection models, characterizing bacteria and host responses, advanced imaging, transcriptomics, and preclinical support, with supervision of engineers and collaboration across teams.