Postdoctoral Researcher Position | Phage Therapy | UC San Diego

UC San Diego; California (MO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

UC San Diego's Llorente Lab in the Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher to advance NIH-funded microbiome-based therapies for gastrointestinal and liver diseases.

The work centers on bacteriophage biology, microbiome-directed approaches, and translational research using in vivo models, organoid cultures, metabolomics, metagenomics, and single-cell analyses.

Qualifications

• PhD in microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biology, immunology, pharmacy, or related field.
• Experience in bacteriophage biology, microbiome research, or translational therapeutics is preferred.
• Strong record of scientific productivity and collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to an NIH-funded program on bacteriophage biology and microbiome-directed therapeutics.
• Characterize and develop microbiome-targeted approaches and assess their effects in host physiology.
• Work with in vivo mouse models and preclinical systems to translate findings.

Skills

Bacteriophage biology

Microbiome research

Molecular biology

In vivo models

Microbial physiology

Microbial genetics

Microbiome-targeted therapeutics

Omics approaches (metabolomics/metagen

Single-cell analysis

Education

PhD in microbiology or related biomedical sciences

Tools

Single-cell RNA sequencing

Metagenomics

Spatial transcriptomics

Organoid cultures

Job description

Postdoctoral Researcher Position – Llorente Lab

The Llorente Lab within the Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine at UC San Diego is hiring a Postdoctoral Researcher to join our NIH-funded research program focused on developing innovative microbiome-based therapeutic approaches for gastrointestinal and liver diseases. Our research focuses on understanding the mechanisms that regulate intestinal homeostasis, including interactions among the intestinal epithelium, microbiome, and immune system, and how these processes influence liver disease, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), as well as substance use disorders.

The successful candidate will contribute to a new research program focused on bacteriophage biology and microbiome-targeted therapeutics. The project will involve the characterization and development of microbiome-directed approaches and the investigation of their effects on host physiology and disease. The work will integrate microbiology, molecular biology, gastrointestinal biology, and in vivo models.

Our project investigates the gut–liver axis using preclinical animal models and patient-derived samples. We employ cutting-edge approaches, including metabolomics, metagenomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, phage therapy, and intestinal and liver organoid cultures, to uncover mechanisms underlying disease and identify novel therapeutic strategies. A major goal of our research is translational: to identify and develop innovative therapeutic approaches for liver disease and substance use disorders, including bacteriophage-based therapies and other microbiome-targeted interventions.

Qualifications

Applicants must have a PhD in microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biology, immunology, pharmacy, or a related biomedical science discipline.

We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• Bacteriophage biology, phage isolation, characterization, or engineering
• Microbiology and bacterial genetics
• Microbiome research and microbial ecology
• Molecular biology and microbial physiology
• Development of microbiome-targeted or microbial therapeutics
• In vivo biomedical research and preclinical disease models

Experience with bacteriophage isolation, propagation, purification, and characterization; bacterial culture and genetic manipulation; microbiome profiling, metagenomics, or microbial community analysis; and in vivo mouse models would be advantageous.

The ideal candidate will be highly motivated, intellectually curious, creative, and passionate about science, with a strong record of research productivity and a desire to pursue innovative and translational research.