"Post-Doctoral Fellow - Department of Microbiology and Immunology"

Job Details

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Unit: School Of Medicine MBU

Department: Microbiology and Immunology

We are seeking a highly motivated and creative Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join our multidisciplinary research team investigating the gut–liver–brain axis in liver diseases, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD/MASH), alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), and cholestatic liver disease, as well as their impact on neurobehavioral function. The successful candidate will contribute to NIH-funded projects aimed at elucidating how gut microbiome–derived metabolites, bile acids, and sphingolipids influence hepatic and neural signaling pathways, leading to liver dysfunction and neurocognitive impairment.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Develop and utilize animal models of metabolic, alcohol-associated, and cholestatic liver diseases to investigate gut–liver–brain interactions
• Conduct behavioral and cognitive tests (e.g., open field, elevated plus maze, novel object recognition, Y-maze) to assess brain function and neurobehavioral outcomes
• Perform liver function tests, including serum biochemical assays (ALT, AST, ALP, bilirubin) and bile acid and sphingolipid profiling using LC-MS/MS
• Conduct histological and immunohistochemical analyses to evaluate liver injury, fibrosis, neuroinflammation, and neuronal changes
• Analyze gut microbiome–derived metabolites and their effects on hepatic and neural signaling pathways
• Apply molecular and cellular assays (e.g., qPCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence) to dissect mechanistic pathways
• Integrate multi-omics data (transcriptomics, metabolomics, lipidomics) to uncover molecular signatures of gut–liver–brain crosstalk
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and present findings at scientific meetings and in peer-reviewed publications
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students and contribute to grant and manuscript preparation

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, or a closely related biomedical field
• Demonstrated expertise in animal models of liver diseases and brain dysfunction
• Strong background in hepatic primary cell isolation, molecular biology, and biochemical assays
• Hands-on experience with liver and brain histology, including sectioning, staining, imaging, and quantitative analysis
• Excellent communication, writing, and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary research environments
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at VCU

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in biomarker discovery and validation within clinical or translational research settings
• Familiarity with bioinformatic analysis of RNA-seq, metabolomics, and lipidomic datasets
• Hands-on experience with complementary analytical platforms, such as LC-MS, HPLC, or other quantitative biochemical assays
• Knowledge of gut microbiome analysis or neuroinflammation pathways is a plus

This is a restricted position with no set end date; continued employment is dependent upon project need, availability of funding, and performance.

VCU is committed to hiring veterans! VCU will include a veteran's period(s) of military service in the calculation of their annual leave accrual rate. This may provide veterans with an increased leave accrual!

Salary Range: Commensurate starting at $62,232

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

ORP Eligible: Yes

Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite

Contact Information:

Contact Email: SOMHR@vcuhealth.org