Two-year postdoctoral fellowships funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) are available for researchers who seek to improve or expand their ability to conduct interdisciplinary, translational neuroscience research in neurodevelopment and neurodevelopmental or mental disorders.
Research Areas
Postdoctoral projects can encompass basic and/or clinical research and might include investigation into one or more of the following areas:
Program Areas/Faculty Department Affiliations
Fellows with MD or PhD degrees conduct research during the program with mentors/advisors from the following areas:
Trainee Program
This two-year training program provides trainees with the essential guidance, training, and mentoring critical to launching an independent career in academic research. The training program starts by recruiting the most talented trainees from MD/PhD, MD, and PhD programs who are interested in pursuing a career in translational neuroscience research and academia. Close interaction between T32 mentors and trainees are supplemented by a structured training program that provides a common knowledge base with respect to translational neuroscience research. Supplemental work will focus on Translational Neuroscience Seminar Series and Proseminars complemented by trainee specific coursework. Administratively, the program consists of co-directors (Drs. Nelson & Glahn) and a group of 19 highly skilled and successful training faculty from diverse array of disciplines.
How to Apply
Applicants should first consult the list of potential mentors and confirm that he/she is willing to serve as primary mentor. Eligible candidates should submit one PDF via email to T32translationaldevelopment@childrens.harvard.edu with the following documents: (1) trainee’s CV, (2) trainee’s research statement (max 2 pages) about research interest and specifically why they have selected this training program, and (3) names and contact information of 2 potential letter writers. Project proposals should clearly state the interdisciplinary nature of the project. If selected for an interview, we will also require: (4) 2 letters of support (one from trainee’s mentor) and (5) mentor’s NIH other support document.
Applications should be submitted by March 14, 2025, with the expectation that trainees will be selected by April 30 and will start as early as July 2025. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with an MD and/or PhD (must be completed at the time training begins). Commitment to the goals of the program and strong academic and research credentials are important criteria used in the selection process.
Further inquiries can be made by reaching out to us directly at T32Translationaldevelopment@childrens.harvard.edu. Download the position ad for more information.
The Koehler Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School is at the forefront of developing and refining organoid-based systems to study sensory organ development, disease modeling, and therapeutic applications. Our lab has pioneered two first-of-their-kind organoid models—hair-bearing skin organoids and multi-lineage inner ear organoids—and developed custom microfluidic systems to support their long-term growth, maturation, and continuous imaging.
We are seeking a talented and motivated postdoctoral scientist with a Ph.D. in bioengineering, stem cell biology, or related fields and 0–4 years of postdoctoral experience. This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of basic biology, engineering, and translational science. The successful candidate will contribute to designing and improving in vitro systems for testing gene and cell therapies.
Key Responsibilities
Qualifications
About the Lab
The Koehler Lab is uniquely positioned to design next-generation in vitro systems for therapeutic testing. Our custom microfluidic platforms allow for the long-term culture of complex tissues while enabling real-time monitoring and imaging. We are dedicated to advancing regenerative therapies for congenital disorders and acquired sensory organ dysfunctions. This position will provide access to world-class facilities, including the HMS Microfabrication Core, Cellular Imaging Core, and advanced microscopy resources.
Opportunities
This role offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage in groundbreaking research at the interface of fundamental biology, engineering innovation, and translational medicine. The postdoctoral scientist will be part of an interdisciplinary team driving impactful research and collaborating with clinicians and leading investigators.
Application Instructions
To apply, please send the following to Dr. Karl Koehler at karl.koehler@childrens.harvard.edu:
The Julia Li Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School is seeking a postdoctoral candidate who shares our passion in solving the key questions surrounding this previously missing link between repeat DNA, genome stability, and viruses. While we welcome any area of expertise in the biological sciences, the ideal candidate will have a strong background in cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, microscopy, virology, and cancer genomics.
Our lab focuses on how virus-like repeat sequences pose a threat to genome stability, yet contribute to normal genome structure and function. Half of our genome consists of repeat sequences that resemble viral DNA, yet the functional significant of these virus-like repeats remains a mystery. Abnormal repeat sequences have been found at unstable genomic regions implicated in cancer and genome diseases. However, how repeat sequences threaten the stability of our genome is not well understood. Finally, DNA viruses detected in cancer cells are also prime suspects in promoting genomic instability. For decades, these unsolved, seemingly connected observations pointed towards a missing mechanism. By observing two fluorescent nuclear signals of the Epstein Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen 1 (EBNA1), we found this missing piece to the puzzle: a cluster of Epstein Bar Virus (EBV)-like repeat sequences in our genome that can break and trigger chromosomal abnormalities in cells infected with EBV. This cluster of virus-like repeats, with no known mechanisms or function, provides an unprecedented opportunity to investigate site-specific breakage at endogenous repeats, induced by a viral protein expressed in more than 95% of the human population.
The overall goal of our lab is to uncover the missing mechanistic link between DNA repeats, genome stability, and viruses that involves binding of a viral protein to virus-like repeat sequences and its role in both health and disease. Specifically, we employ advanced techniques in molecular biology, cell biology, single cell analysis, microscopy, genome-wide sequencing, unbiased proteomics, and functional genomics to answer the following questions:
In the long run, we are excited about potentially uncovering a class of viral proteins that play a role in human health and disease by binding to virus-like repeat sequences in our genome. Ultimately, understanding basic mechanisms surrounding virus-like repeat sequences will create new opportunities for the prevention and treatment of viral infection-associated cancer and genetic diseases.
We invite you to learn more about our work at thejulialilab.com. To apply, please contact Julia Li at Julia.li@childrens.harvard.edu.
We are seeking a motivated candidate to join our interdisciplinary team as a Cardiac Surgery Postdoctoral Fellow, under mentorship of co-PIs Peter Hammer, PhD (senior engineer), and David Hoganson, MD (pediatric cardiac surgeon).
The primary role is to grow our library of cardiovascular tissue mechanical properties and incorporate it into our workflows for quantitative surgical planning. Specific responsibilities include coordinating with OR staff to acquire tissue samples, maintaining the soft tissue inventory, conducting biaxial mechanical testing on specimens acquired from the operating room (e.g., explanted vascular and valvular tissues, commercial patch materials, etc.), and analyzing/preparing data for written and oral presentation. This role will support ongoing projects related to preoperative valve and vascular patch planning. Additional opportunities are available to perform computational modeling and benchtop experiments to answer clinically relevant research questions. Previous projects have included in-vitro and ex-vivo testing of new heart valve repair techniques and surgical devices, in-vitro flow loop evaluation of RVOT and pulmonary artery therapies, and characterization of cardiovascular patch strength and failure modes.
We are a group of engineers, surgeons, and cardiologists working to improve patient-specific surgical planning within the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Boston Children's Hospital. Presently, several members of the team perform virtual modeling and simulation as a clinical service for the department, while others conduct research to:
Please send a cover letter and CV to shannen.kizilski@childrens.harvard.edu.
Onsite at Enders Research Building, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA.
The Naqvi Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School is looking for a highly motivated and driven Postdoctoral Research Fellow to work on projects studying cell type-specific effects of transcription factor dosage during development.
We combine functional genomics and computational modeling using stem cell-derived in vitro models of development to understand the quantitative control of gene expression in development. A major focus of the lab is addressing these questions in the context of the human neural crest, an embryonic cell population that gives rise to a fascinating array of cell types including the craniofacial skeleton and the enteric nervous system.
The successful candidate will utilize genome editing, chemical genetics, functional genomics, and stem cell-derived models to understand why and how quantitative changes in transcription factor dosage have cell type-specific effects. Projects include studying neural crest in both craniofacial and enteric nervous system development, as well as additional lineages with transcription factor dosage sensitivity. This candidate will also incorporate cutting-edge deep learning models or collaborate with others to do so. In addition to research, this position entails training and mentoring of other lab members as well as general laboratory maintenance.
As a new lab, we are looking to welcome new members to help build a welcoming, inclusive, and intellectually engaging environment for training and mentoring. The candidate will have opportunities to set the direction of research in the lab and be involved in grant writing, all excellent training for a variety of subsequent careers. The candidate will also present their work and obtain feedback from seminars in the Division of Gastroenterology, with the ability to interact more broadly in the intellectually stimulating scientific ecosystems of Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Additional professional development opportunities, including conference and seminar attendance, will also be provided.
To apply, email Dr. Sahin Naqvi at sahin.naqvi@childrens.harvard.edu with:
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. For more information, visit naqvilab.org or contact Dr. Naqvi with questions about the position.
The Nigrovic lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to spearhead studies exploring the immune role of megakaryocytes, including via emperipolesis, a new form of cell-in-cell interaction between megakaryocytes and neutrophils.
This work will build on our observation that megakaryocytes contribute to systemic inflammatory disease, even independent of their platelets (J Clin Invest. 2017:1714-1724; J Leuk Biol 2019;105:1111-1121). Using tools including 2-photon microscopy, we seek to understand how megakaryocytes function as immune cells through their surface receptors, soluble mediators, and microparticles. We seek to deepen our understanding of emperipolesis, whereby neutrophils penetrate into the megakaryocyte cytoplasm to pass surface membrane to platelets before leaving intact (eLife 2019;8:e440312019; Blood Adv. 2022;6:2081-2091). We will explore the cell biology of emperipolesis as well as its implications for the function of megakaryocytes, neutrophils, and platelets.
Applicants should have a PhD (or MD with substantial laboratory experience) related to cellular and immune biology. Specific megakaryocyte, platelet, and/or neutrophil experience, and/or 2-photon microscopy experience, is helpful but not required.
The Nigrovic lab is a basic and translational research group based in the Division of Immunology at Boston Children’s Hospital. Funding is provided by NIH R01 grants and other sources. Human samples are available. Successful applicants will have a track record of productivity that confirms their ability to work independently at a high level in a friendly, collegial, and supportive but demanding environment. Potential for partial self-funding is welcome but not essential.
Inquiries and applications (including CV, name/email address of 2-3 referees, and reprints of 2 most significant publications) should be directed to:
Peter A. Nigrovic, MD
Chief, Division of Immunology, Boston Children’s Hospital
Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Peter.nigrovic@childrens.harvard.edu
The focus of the Sampson Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School is to discover the molecular basis of nephrotic syndrome through human genomics to inform mechanisms, treatments, and cures for this disease.
We integrate genomics data with other molecular and clinical datasets to discover the biological and clinical impact of the disease-associated genomic variants we discover. We also focus on using large Biobanks to empower genomic discovery for NS. Finally, we are also using new technologies and developing analytic strategies to make definitive genomic diagnoses for patients. We now seek an intellectually curious and independent thinking post-doctoral fellow to drive forward projects in one or more of these broad research areas.
Specific projects available include:
We are most interested in applicants with excellent skills in biostatistics, as well as a strong understanding of human genetics, bioinformatics, and/or genome biology. They will use both well-established and newer methods for analysis of diverse types of genomic data, including genome and exome sequencing, and bulk and single cell transcriptomics. They will drive their own projects and also support the efforts of other members of the group.
The Sampson Lab is located at Boston Children’s Hospital and is affiliated with Harvard Medical School, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and Brigham & Women’s Hospital. It is well-funded through multiple Federal grants and other resources. It is a vibrant, highly collaborative, and multidisciplinary environment made up of nephrologists, computational geneticists, biostatisticians, and epidemiologists, and bench researchers.
Preferred qualifications:
Interested candidates should send a cover letter & CV to matthew.sampson@childrens.harvard.edu.
Matt Sampson, MD MSCE ASCI
Warren E. Grupe Chair in Pediatric Nephrology, Boston Children’s Hospital
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Associate Member, Broad Institute
Research Faculty, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.
The Osterweil lab is recruiting a motivated individual to fill a postdoctoral position in molecular neuroscience. You will be joining the exciting, fast-paced environment at Boston Children’s Hospital/ Harvard Medical School investigating cell type-specific mRNA translation in neural function and dysfunction.
Our group has a number of hypothesis-driven projects that are aimed at identifying critical mechanisms in neural plasticity, and determining how these processes go awry in neurodevelopmental disorders such as fragile X syndrome. We are using molecular approaches including TRAP-seq, scRNA-seq, and spatial transcriptomics, and combining these with electrophysiological and behavioral assays to answer research questions and test potential therapeutic approaches that arise from this work. We are also employing new models to determine the conservation of synaptic mechanisms between mouse and human.
Candidates must have a PhD in neuroscience, cell biology, or a related field, and show evidence of good productivity in the form of publications. Experience with either molecular neuroscience and mouse brain surgical techniques, or RNA-seq and bioinformatics, is greatly preferred.
Please send a CV, cover letter with statement of interest, and 2-3 letters of references to Emily.osterweil@childrens.harvard.edu. Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found.
Boston Children’s Hospital is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status or disability.
Boston Children’s Hospital requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and Flu, (unless you are eligible for a medical or religious exemption).
A postdoctoral fellow position is open for a highly creative and motivated applicant who has an interest in cardiovascular biomechanics and computational modeling within the cardio-engineering group at the Department of Cardiac Surgery. We are dedicated toward developing advanced computational modeling methods integrated with experimental approaches in cardiovascular biomechanics to improve diagnostic, surgical predictability, and personalization. The candidate will work with a multidisciplinary team of engineers, cardiac surgeons, and cardiologists to achieve this goal.
Working primarily with Dr. Vijay Govindarajan, the post-doctoral fellow will conduct research in the field of heart valves and thrombosis using various computational methods, including non-linear finite element modeling and computational fluid dynamics. The post-doctoral fellow will also collaborate with other researchers in the group to develop experimental approaches for validating these computational models. Ultimately, these modeling frameworks will be used in both research and integrated into clinical workflows, aiming to enhance surgical predictability and personalization.
Qualifications necessary for the position are as follows:
The application review process will start right away. Applications will be reviewed continuously.
Full-time position with competitive salary/benefits commensurate with experience. Candidate will work in fully funded projects for a minimum period of 3 years.
To apply, please submit a CV, a cover letter detailing research and career interests, motivation, and experience, to Vijay.govindarajan@childrens.harvard.edu. Please also include contact information of three references.
Research Focus: Cell Biology of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia - Functional Genomics & Drug Discovery
In the Ebrahimi-Fakhari lab, our mission is to use cutting-edge research techniques to understand and treat rare neurological disorders in children. Our goal is to build a translational research platform that can take discoveries from the bedside to the bench and back. Through our commitment to collaboration, mentorship, and scientific excellence, we strive to make a lasting impact on the patients we serve. We are recruiting Post-Doctoral Research Fellows to expand our work on high-throughput platforms for functional genomics screens and drug discovery in cellular and in vivo models of hereditary spastic paraplegia.
We are looking for talented trainees who are passionate about disease-oriented translational research. We are particularly interested in colleagues with a background in molecular biology, cell biology, neuroscience, gene editing and/or work with transgenic mouse lines.
Our lab embraces all kinds of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, disability, and religion. We're committed to ensuring everyone can succeed in their pursuit of the advancement of biomedical knowledge.
Boston Children's Hospital is a global leader in pediatric healthcare. Affiliated with Harvard Medical School, we provide an unparalleled environment for scientific advancement, fostering collaboration and innovation in pursuit of improving children's health worldwide.
Please submit the following documents to def.lab@childrens.harvard.edu.
The Data Management and Analysis Core (DMAC) within the Precision Vaccine Program (PVP) at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School (HMS) is actively seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow with expertise in systems biology. We are dedicated to advancing knowledge in the fields of infection and vaccination through cutting-edge research.
As a postdoctoral fellow, you will join a dynamic research environment focused on systems biology in infection and vaccination. Under the mentorship of Dr. Joann Arce, PhD, Instructor in Pediatrics at HMS and the lead of the PVP-DMAC, you will contribute to our overarching goals:
Review of applications will commence immediately, and applications will be considered on a rolling basis. This is a full-time position with a competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with experience. To apply, interested candidates should email the following documents to Dr. Joann Arce at joann.arce@childrens.harvard.edu:
A postdoctoral fellow position is open for a highly creative and motivated applicant who has an interest in intestinal physiology and redox signaling in the Thiagarajah Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Experience in imaging or transport physiology and/or animal studies are highly desirable for this position.
Research in the lab aims to understand how cells sense and interact with their surroundings and how membrane channels and transporters contribute to innate immune function, development, and cellular metabolism. Projects in the lab use a variety of approaches and span several aspects of physiology, including both basic science and translational research connected to pediatric diseases. This position will involve investigating redox signaling within the GI tract and/or the role of age and diet on intestinal function. The research will use state-of-the art imaging in animal and cell model systems as well as 3D cultures and tissue. The applicant will also support other lab experiments in our group and will be expected to undertake projects with minimal supervision.
Please send directly to jay.thiagarajah@childrens.harvard.edu.
Adjuvant Discovery and Development Laboratory, Precision Vaccine Program, Boston Children’s Hospital.
There are two postdoctoral research fellowships available in the laboratory of Dr. David Dowling, within the Precision Vaccines Program (PVP) of Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. The PVP is a multidisciplinary research initiative founded in 2016, Directed Dr. Ofer Levy.
Within the Dowling Lab, our goal is to unravel the molecular mechanisms that underlie distinct immune responses of vulnerable human populations (e.g., the young, elderly, metabolic disorders or immunocompromised) and apply our discoveries to adjuvant and vaccine innovation, discovery and development. Our approach combines age- and species- specific screens with a focus on functional, biochemical, and systems immunology readouts in relevant in vitro and in vivo model systems. Furthermore, our scope also includes translating our research towards Phase I human clinical trials of novel and investigational vaccines.
Specifically, Postdoctoral Research Fellows will lead projects related to adjuvant discovery development, in vitro and in vivo modeling, overseeing adjuvant medicinal chemistry, formulation, and novel delivery systems of vaccines. Approaches have an option to expand into use of systems vaccinology, in vivo modeling utilizing non-human primates, overseeing vaccine formulation toxicology, IND-enabling activities and contributing to Phase I clinical trials.
These positions are largely funded by NIH/NIAID grants and contracts, philanthropic funding and supplemented by sponsored agreements with pharmaceutical companies.
The Gussoni laboratory seeks a highly motivated post-doctoral research fellow to study gene networks that regulate skeletal muscle stem cell activation. The goal is to effectively use these networks for tissue regeneration and cell-based therapy.
All projects will involve studies of human and mouse muscle stem cells and with live animals. The candidate should have experience in basic methods of biochemistry, tissue culture, cell sorting, molecular biology and general histology.
To apply, please submit a CV, a cover letter and contact information of three references to Dr. Emanuela Gussoni at emanuela.gussoni@enders.tch.harvard.edu.
The Dietlein Lab at Harvard Medical School is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral research fellow in computational cancer genomics. Our projects span the entire range of data-driven precision medicine – from decoding fundamental principles of tumor development to applications of sequencing technologies in patient care and genome-inspired drug design.
A specific focus of our lab are new bioinformatics tools to discover oncogenic mutations in cancer genomes. We are primarily affiliated with the Informatics Program at Boston Children’s (CHIP), the Broad Institute, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School. They provide an ideal environment for exceptional creativity and thriving to your fullest potential.
Recent highlights include:
We are dedicated to training the next generation of exceptional scientists, and it is at the heart of our mission that you thrive to the next career level. This includes guidance to establish a strong funding and publication record and dedicated mentorship for your personal career development.
With your start in our lab, we tailor a training plan to your specific strengths and needs, develop actionable teaching goals, and identify potential co-mentors and required resources. Our teaching includes weekly meetings, peer mentorship, and a joint seminar series. Besides a stellar scientific training environment and outstanding access to data and infrastructure resources, we provide our trainees with plenty of opportunities for their personal growth, including career development classes, attending national and international conferences, and dedicated time for planning the next steps in science, academia, and beyond.
All projects in our lab have immediate potential for clinical translational, but we realize that it requires a long way from computer science to clinics. We consider mutual respect and open communication the glue that holds our lab together. Our regular social gatherings build team spirit, and town hall meetings identify issues we can work on together. We know that cancer is a complicated puzzle, and we thrive on collaboration, collegiality, and data sharing. We have an excellent record of our mentees going to top-tier schools (Stanford, Dartmouth, MSKCC).
Applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, and publication record to Felix Dietlein at felix.dietlein@childrens.harvard.edu. You are also encouraged to include pdfs of up to 3 publications and contacts or letters of up to 3 references.
The Brazelton Touchpoints Center (BTC) in the Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, offers a one-year Postdoctoral Fellowship in Early Childhood Translational and Applied Research. The fellowship may be renewable for a second year.
The nature of our work aligns with the philosophy of BTC and the goals of the Division of Developmental Medicine. Our overall aim is to increase knowledge and experience related to diversity in the context of relational community research and evaluation. The aim of the Research and Evaluation Unit is to emphasize the latest practice and applied research techniques with demonstrated efficacy, consider community-level scaling, integrate a developmental perspective, and support ethical, collegial, and responsible applied research practice that includes and goes beyond community participatory research.
This position provides the Postdoctoral Fellow access to a wide array of evaluation and research projects that are currently active at BTC. The studies vary in their specific objectives but share the common goal of bridging research and practice in the field of childhood and adolescence with attention to promoting child wellbeing and positive parent-child relationships in the face of various adversities. Most studies focus on determining the effects of interventions on early childhood direct service providers, families, and children. Some investigations examine the role of multiple community-level interventions in the lives of vulnerable families. Others explore the impact of trauma and adversity (e.g., child abuse and neglect, poverty, family conflict) on children’s development, and the role of risk and protective factors in program outcomes. A second key role for the BTC Postdoctoral Fellow is to support the synthesis of applied research in the field.
The BTC Postdoctoral Fellow will work with several teams of researchers to participate in research on interventions with young children and families. Opportunities may include work with early care and education, dual-generation early childhood programs (e.g., Head Start, Early Head Start, Indigenous two–gen programs), child welfare, pediatric health care (including medicine and nursing), home visiting, and other early childhood programs in each community. In addition, postdoctoral research will focus on translating and applying knowledge on parent, family, and community engagement, as well as young children (prenatal to age eight) and families living with adversity. The Postdoctoral Fellow will also receive training in the Touchpoints model and have the option to work with trainers to craft and implement professional development offerings.
BTC has a strong commitment to working with communities and people that have been injured or underserved, including Native American, Hispanic, African-American, and Arab communities. Currently, the Center is collaborating on multiple major projects with tribal nations or their representatives, Latine families, African-American families, and Arab families.
The fellowship will provide opportunities to work with other members of the Research and Evaluation Unit at BTC on funded projects, design and develop surveys and other measures, create systems for data management and analysis, assist in the development of a system for continuous quality improvement, engage in complex analytic assessment, and contribute to reporting for other researchers as well as practitioners.
The BTC Postdoctoral Fellows will extend their expertise to the use of multiple analytic strategies (both quantitative and qualitative) to examine data from existing projects, contribute to the development and design of new research projects, participate in a program of grant writing, develop presentations for scientific conferences, write evaluation reports, and contribute to papers submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Candidate must hold a PhD/EdD, or dissertation submitted in psychology, child development, or a related degree with some emphasis on early childhood or childhood and adolescence. Spanish language skills are a plus. BTC actively encourages applications from women and members of historically underrepresented groups. Interest in and work with Native American communities a plus. VISA sponsorship cannot be offered at this time. The post-doctoral fellowship currently has rolling admission with start dates between December-January or July-September each year.
Interested applicants should complete the Boston Children’s Hospital Postdoctoral Fellowship application (“Application for Postdoctoral Psychology Fellowship”) and send the completed application, letter of interest, curriculum vitae, three letters of reference, any first-author publications (or publications in which the candidate took a primary role), and a one-page cover letter describing career goals, research interests, and certified transcript of doctoral work to Dr. Catherine C. Ayoub, Director of Research and Evaluation, Brazelton Touchpoints Center, 1295 Boylston, Suite 320, Boston, MA, 02215 or to both email addresses below.
To find out more, please contact Catherine C. Ayoub, RN, EdD, at Catherine.Ayoub@childrens.harvard.edu and Elisa Vele, PhD, at Elisa.Vele@childrens.harvard.edu.
Please note that this is an open fellowship. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Boston Children’s Hospital is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status or disability.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Access Statement
At the Brazelton Touchpoint center, we are dedicated to creating a lasting community in which equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and access thrive. We engage in reflective practices to enhance equitable processes and outcomes, and to reduce bias — including our own. At BTC, we come alongside and learn with the infants, children, families, and communities that we have the honor of working with. While we still have much work to do, we see the path to racial equity and justice as a journey — one that we have wholeheartedly embarked on. BTC is committed to creating equitable and inclusive learning and growth opportunities through collaborative, strengths-based, culturally affirming approaches within our own organization and in our partnerships with all others.
A postdoc position is available in the lab of Dr. Miao Cui in Boston Children’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School to study genomic control mechanisms of heart regeneration and pathological remodeling.
Dr. Cui has a joint position as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and the Department of Cardiology at Boston Children’s Hospital. The lab is located at the center of Harvard Longwood Medical Campus, immersed in a highly interactive and collaborative scientific environment. Dr. Cui obtained her PhD from California Institute of Technology in the lab of Dr. Eric Davidson and Postdoctoral training at UT Southwestern mentored by Dr. Eric Olson. Her research on cardiac regeneration and disease led to several high-profile publications onDevelopmental Cell, Nature Communications, PNAS,Nature Medicine, Science Translational Medicine, and Cell Reports.
Adult mammalian hearts lack the ability to regenerate, and instead, respond to injury with maladaptive remodeling that leads to heart failure. In contrast, the newborn mouse heart can effectively regrow the damaged tissue. Understanding how neonatal mousehearts regenerate following injury provides an exciting new inroad into the possible mechanisms of cardiac regeneration and repair in adults. Our lab aims to use systems-level approaches to discover the basic biological mechanisms underlying neonatal heart regeneration. We leverage this information to identify therapeutic targets and translate these findings into studies of human cells and therapies for heart disease patients. We uncovered previously unknown cellular components specific to neonatal heart regeneration, filling gaps in our knowledge of new heart muscle cell sources during regeneration and advancing our understanding of the role of the cardiac microenvironment in tissue healing. We are currently exploring these novel cell populations, which we believe have the potential to open up new areas of research in regeneration and beyond. We are also taking systems biology approaches to identify factors and pathways that regulate various aspects of the regeneration process and using gene delivery approaches to explore their therapeutic potential for treating heart disease. Our research combines genetics, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, tissue 3D imaging, cardiac injury models in mice, high-throughput screening in primary cardiac cells and human heart organoids, as well as cardiac (patho)physiology. The long-term goal of our research program is to understand the mechanisms underlying the distinct reparative abilities of different cardiac cell types during neonatal heart regeneration vs. pathological remodeling in adults, and ultimately to generate a comprehensive cellular and molecular blueprint for targeting cardiac regeneration in adult humans.
The ideal candidate must hold a PhD and/or MD degree and have a background in molecular biology and mouse genetics with an interest in Genomics and Cardiovascular Biology. Candidates should be able to work independently and have demonstrated English verbal and writing skills. Interested individuals should send a CV, a statement of research interests, as well as the names and contact information for three references to Miao Cui, PhD.
The Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, under the direction of Charles A. Nelson, PhD, seek several highly qualified postdoctoral scientists with an interest in neurodevelopment and expertise in early adversity. Postdocs will have the opportunity to engage in various studies, both domestic and international.
Eligible postdocs should have training in clinical or developmental psychology or developmental cognitive neuroscience and experience with young children. Ideal candidates will be highly motivated and independent scientists with the analytic/statistical skills to relate neuroimaging data to a wealth of existing and to-be-collected behavioral data (including developmental outcomes data and eye tracking data). Expertise in EEG methodology is preferred, including familiarity with EEG, evoked potentials, and event-related potentials. Prior programming experience is also preferred, with a strong preference for familiarity with MATLAB and/or Python programming environment and associated toolboxes (e.g., EEGLAB/ERPLAB, Fieldtrip, MNE-Python). Additional expectations include supervising and mentoring research coordinators/assistants and undergraduate students, extensive involvement in data processing and analysis, and correspondingly, involvement in manuscript preparation and grant writing.
A 2-year commitment is preferred. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
A complete application includes 1 copy of each of the following items (please include your full name on every page of your application):
For consideration, please submit an application to Dr. Charles Nelson (charles_nelson@harvard.edu)
Full-time postdoctoral research fellow positions are available in Dongwon Lee's Laboratory.
We study disease-associated genetic variants using computational approaches with a specific focus on transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. We have developed several machine-learning methods for the analysis of regulatory elements and regulatory variants (Lee et al., Nature Genetics 2015; Lee, Bioinformatics 2016; Lee et al., Genome Research 2018; Han et al., PNAS 2022). Our laboratory will continue to develop computational methods to model regulatory control of human diseases by incorporating improved machine-learning algorithms and single-cell multi-omic data (genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic). New computational frameworks will help discover the molecular mechanisms driving the development and progression of human diseases.
Interested candidates should send a CV and a cover letter to dongwon.lee@childrens.harvard.edu.
The Biddinger Lab is looking for basic biologists interested in applying their expertise to a clinical problem.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects more than 25% of the population, and can lead to liver cancer, cirrhosis and metabolic diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. However, the basic biology of this disorder remains an enigma and we still have no treatments. At the Biddinger lab, we are using Crispr screening, single nuclei sequencing, ChIP sequencing, mouse models, organoids, and stable isotope tracing to understand this disease. More information can be found at our website.
PhD in biological science or computation biology or related fields; excellent references; strong evidence of past productivity. We hope to recruit colleagues who like solving hard problems and being creative. We want cell and molecular biologists, microscopists, and computational biologists who can bring new perspectives to this problem; no previous experience in NAFLD is necessary.
Please send a CV and thoughts about how you could fit into our team to biddingerlab@gmail.com.
The Moffitt laboratory Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital is recruiting a postdoctoral fellow to leverage multiplexed-error robust fluorescence in situ hybridization (MERFISH) to reveal new insights into the cellular and molecular structure of human nociception and chronic pain caused by neuromas.
New Insights into Pain with Spatial Transcriptomics and MERFISH
Spatial transcriptomic techniques offer the revolutionary new ability to discover cell types and states while mapping their organization in a wide variety of tissues and, in turn, provide new biological insights from deep molecular profiles of in tact tissues. Join us to learn and extend this exciting new technology suite while providing new insights into nociception and chronic pain!
Working in collaboration with scientists at the Harvard PRECISION Human Pain Center—a new NIH-funded collaborative center that brings together scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Mass General Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School—this postdoctoral fellow will apply MERFISH and other spatial transcriptomics technologies—Visium and Stereo-Seq—to discover, define, and chart the cell types and states associated with human nociception and their disorders in the context of chronic phantom limb pain associated neuromas. The postdoctoral fellow will be responsible for learning and applying both image-based and spatial-capture-based transcriptomic methods to human-derived neuroma samples; computationally co-embedding these data with data derived from other state-of-the-art single-cell methods, such as scRNA-seq and sc-ATAC-seq; and deriving novel biological insights from these data on the structure, origin, and physiology of nociception in human neuromas. Moreover, by joining the laboratory of Jeff Moffitt—a co-inventor of MERFISH—this postdoctoral fellow will have the opportunity to learn MERFISH in a laboratory of one of its developers, to develop novel experimental and computational extensions of this technique, and to contribute to a dynamic team of scientists that are both extending this technology in novel and exciting ways and leveraging it to reveal new biological insights in a wide array of systems. The position is open now with a flexible start date.
Applicants should send a CV and the name of two references to jeffrey.moffitt@childrens.harvard.edu.
Boston Children’s Hospital and the Moffitt laboratory are equal opportunity employers, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy‐related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.
The DART Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School is recruiting one to two postdoctoral fellows to join a growing team.
The postdoctoral fellow will be responsible for developing novel methodologies and applications integrating data from smartphones and wearables in "real-world" settings, with the rich clinical data offered in hospital settings, and using this framework to evaluate and predict clinical and treatment progression in pediatric patients. The applicant will collaborate with colleagues within Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the National Institute of Mental Health in applying these methods in clinical projects related to pediatric chronic pain, mental health, sleep, and substance use. Several exciting projects are available depending on the experience of the candidate. The position includes a number of training opportunities for career development through Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital. Funding is secure for a minimum of two years.
Given the interdisciplinary nature of the projects, candidates can have a PhD degree (or MD/PhD) in psychology, epidemiology, biomedical informatics, computer science, or a related field. Strong quantitative and/or qualitative skills are necessary. Excellent written and verbal communication skills and project management skills are crucial. Preferred requirements for this position include experience in multilevel modelling and/or machine learning, ecological momentary assessment, and sleep assessment.
Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and the names of three references to the below address. Pre-inquiries are welcome.
Joe Kossowsky, PhD, MMSc
Assistant Professor in Anesthesia, Harvard Medical School
Director, DART Lab, Boston Children’s Hospital
joe.kossowsky@childrens.harvard.edu