Open Positions

We are seeking a graduate of biological/biomedical sciences with basic laboratory experience in cellular and/or molecular biology for a position at the level of “Research Specialist A”, starting in the summer/early fall of 2025. This position is for a hybrid role of laboratory technician and independent researcher focusing on a specific project. The lab will provide rigorous training in a wide range of techniques, in research methodology, and in current concepts of interdisciplinary tissue biology, spanning immunobiology, cancer biology, stem cell biology, and cellular/molecular biology. This position is ideal for ambitious young scientists who want to pursue a PhD and want to be rigorously prepared for competitive applications to graduate programs. A commitment of at least two years is expected.

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral scientist for a project that focuses on the earliest stages of colon cancer initiation and its control by the mesenchymal microenvironment. The project involves genetic mouse models, mouse/human organoids and in-vitro co-culture systems with fibroblasts, as platforms to investigate specific cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive tumorigenesis.

Candidates are expected to have 1) A strong background, demonstrated with first-author publication(s), in a field relevant to cancer biology, immunobiology or stem cell biology, 2) Solid technical expertise in mouse genetics and models of disease and/or organoid systems and, 3) Proficiency in a wide range of cell biology, molecular and imaging techniques. Team spirit and excellent communication skills in English are essential.

We are recruiting students through UPenn's Biomedical Graduate Studies programs. We are currently affiliated with the Immunology graduate group, the Cell & Molecular Biology graduate group, and the Pharmacology graduate group. Students may also apply through UPenn's Bioengineering Doctoral Program.

One Master thesis position is available on a project that focuses on the earliest stages of colon cancer initiation and its control by the tissue microenvironment. Specific goals are 1) to identify paracrine signals that regulate tumor initiation, and 2) study the underlying molecular mechanisms. The project is interdisciplinary and spans across cancer biology, immunobiology, cellular and molecular biology, and stem cell biology. The methodologies applied involve advanced mouse genetics, mouse models of colorectal cancer and intestinal inflammation, isolation/culture of mouse primary cells, intestinal organoid cultures, histological techniques and confocal imaging, multi-color flow cytometry, bioinformatics, and several molecular techniques.

A degree in biological/biomedical sciences and previous experience in basic molecular techniques and/or cell culture or immunohistochemistry is required. Previous experience with mouse work is highly desirable but not necessary. The student should be highly motivated, eager to learn many new things and willing to take over responsibilities. Excellent oral/written communication skills in English are required.

A position centered on the computational aspects of our research program is available with a flexible start date and duration, preferentially of > 6 months.

The goal of the project is to establish an orthogonal computational analysis approach for the identification of candidate pathogenic pathways and their prioritization for experimental validation. This approach will take advantage of a wealth of data that is currently available in the lab and in public databases, including data from bulk and single-cell transcriptomic analyses, spatial transcriptomics, ATAC-seq and lipidomics/metabolomics as well as genetic data from genome-wide association studies in patients. The project involves bioinformatic analyses, the biological interpretation of their outcomes, and comparative analyses across different datasets and experimental platforms.

Previous experience with R programming is desirable but not necessary. The student should be highly motivated, eager to learn many new things and willing to work independently, as part of an interdisciplinary team.

Major goals of our research are to understand the pathophysiology of human disease and to develop new therapeutic approaches. For this purpose, we closely collaborate with GI surgeons and pathologists in a "hands on" manner and we use human tissue specimens, primary cells, organoids, xenografts and humanized mice in our research.

We offer research training opportunities to medical students, resident physicians and fellow doctors who have protected time for research and an interest in GI conditions, including GI cancers, IBD (Crohn's disease and UC), strictures and abdominal adhesions.