Postdoctoral Scholar – Microbiome, Nutrition & Host Protection
Lynch Lab | University of California, San Francisco
The Lynch Lab at UCSF is seeking an outstanding and highly motivated Postdoctoral Scholar to investigate how prenatal and early-life diet, the gut microbiome, and microbial metabolites shape infant susceptibility to respiratory infection and childhood asthma.
This interdisciplinary project will integrate human cohort studies, multi-omics, high-throughput microbiome cultivation, and functional host-response assays to identify dietary and microbial factors that promote resilience to viral infection. The successful candidate will work at the interface of microbiome science, nutrition, computational biology, microbial metabolism, and host immunity, with opportunities to develop both mechanistic and translational research expertise.
Ideal Candidate
We are seeking a creative, collaborative scientist who is excited by questions at the intersection of microbial ecology, nutrition, metabolism, and host immunity. The ideal candidate will have several of the following skills:
- Microbiome science and microbial ecology, including experience computational and bioinformatic approaches for integrating high-dimensional multi-omic datasets generated from complex microbial communities
- Microbial metabolism, particularly the ability to connect dietary substrates, microbial functions, and metabolite production
- High-throughput in vitro microbiome cultivation or microbial culture-based approaches
- Metabolomics, including analysis and interpretation of lipid and other small-molecule metabolites
- Mammalian cell culture and host-response assays, including epithelial and/or Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell models
- Experience studying viral infection, antiviral responses, epithelial biology, or immune function is highly desirable
- Strong quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- A demonstrated ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment
Candidates with expertise in computational biology, microbial physiology, metabolomics, immunology, or microbiome experimental systems are encouraged to apply. We are particularly interested in scientists who want to combine computational discovery with experimental validation rather than working exclusively in either domain.
Why Join the Lynch Lab?
This project offers an opportunity to address a fundamental question in early-life biology:
How do maternal and infant nutrition shape the gut microbiome and its metabolic products to determine susceptibility or resilience to infection?
The successful candidate will work with human longitudinal cohorts and experimentally tractable microbiome systems, moving from multi-omic discovery to functional validation of findings in model systems. The project is designed to uncover mechanisms that can ultimately inform strategies for preventing early life infection, promoting healthy immune development and protection against asthma.
The Lynch Lab is part of the vibrant interdisciplinary research environment at UCSF, with opportunities for collaboration across microbiome science, pediatrics, immunology, infectious diseases, computational biology, nutrition, and translational medicine.
Qualifications
Applicants should have a PhD, MD, or equivalent doctoral degree in microbiology, immunology, computational biology, bioinformatics, nutrition, biochemistry, molecular biology, or a related discipline. Candidates nearing completion of their doctoral training may also be considered.
We value scientific curiosity, intellectual independence, rigor, creativity, and a willingness to learn new approaches. No single candidate is expected to possess every skill listed above; complementary expertise is available in the Lynch lab, however strong motivation to develop new technical capabilities is highly valued.
To apply: Please submit a CV, a brief statement describing your research interests and relevant experience and contact information for references to via https://airtable.com/appIimfEUrD4IaEOR/shrm10IDa4Hlp7sQW. Applications should highlight experience relevant to microbiome research, multi-omics, microbial cultivation/metabolism, computational analysis, and/or host-response biology.
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