Research Associate - Shukla Lab

The Shukla Lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at UT Dallas is seeking a creative, rigorous, and highly motivated protein biochemist to join our interdisciplinary team. We study the chemical and biophysical principles underlying membrane-involved processes in neurodegeneration and cancer, with emphasis on tauopathies, membrane repair, and lipid–protein interactions.

This position is ideal for candidates who are about to complete their Ph.D. or are within one-year post-completion and who are excited to drive mechanistic biochemical discovery at the interface of membrane biology, quantitative biophysics, and disease.

The successful candidate will lead biochemical and reconstitution-based projects central to the lab's mission. Potential directions include:

• Purification and biochemical characterization of membrane-associated proteins and protein complexes, lipid transporters, and pathological protein assemblies.
• Reconstitution of proteins into synthetic or cell-derived membranes to probe structure-function relationships that govern membrane remodeling, lipid transport, and permeabilization.
• Development of quantitative assays integrating protein biochemistry with optical tweezers, fluorescence imaging, or biophysical readouts.

Scientific Environment and Mentorship

As an early member of the Shukla Lab, the postdoctoral scholar will have the opportunity to help shape the scientific direction of a growing research program. Postdocs in the lab are encouraged to develop mechanistic questions, pursue independent ideas aligned with the lab's research vision, and build collaborations across disciplines. The lab environment emphasizes rigorous quantitative thinking, open scientific discussion, and mentorship aimed at preparing trainees for independent careers in academia, biotechnology, or related fields.

UT Dallas offers a rapidly growing research environment with strong connections to UT Southwestern Medical Center and the Dallas biomedical research community.