Postdoctoral position at the University of Pennsylvania, USA

Scholarship: Fully funded
Degree: Ph.D
Nationality: International Students
Location: USA
Application deadlines: Open


Scholarship Description:

Dr Orange Jin’s group in the Department of Cancer Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, focuses on tumour immunity as well as neuroimmunity, and is dedicated to the development of novel molecular and cellular targets for cancer immunotherapy applications (https://www.ccjinlab.com/).The laboratory has established a comprehensive experimental platform and a variety of interdisciplinary tools, including unique genetically engineered mouse models, single-cell based multi-omics, germ-free mouse models, high dimensional spectral flow cytometry, multiplexing and spectrometry. The laboratory has established a comprehensive experimental platform and a variety of interdisciplinary tools, including unique genetically engineered mouse models, single-cell based multi-omics, germ-free mouse models, high dimensional spectral flow cytometry, multiplex imaging, in vivo CRIPSR-based genome editing and other cutting-edge technologies. The laboratory is well-funded, has excellent resources, and has established stable and long-term relationships with clinical teams. The main focus is on how immune cells, especially myeloid cells, are recoded in the tumour microenvironment by either host endogenous factors (e.g., nervous system, mutations/epigenetic inheritance in tumour cells) or environmental exogenous factors (e.g., microflora). Specific topic areas include (1) novel myeloid subsets in “hot” and “cold” tumours, (2) neuro-immune interaction in the lung, (3) innate immune sensing in the tumour microenvironment, (4) the gut-lung axis, (5) CRISPR screen of novel molecular targets for tumor immunotherapy.

Dr Orange Jin received his undergraduate degree from the Department of Biology, Tsinghua University, and his PhD degree from Yale University in 2013, where he studied under the supervision of Professor Richard Flavell, one of the world’s leading immunologists. Afterwards, she conducted postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) under the supervision of Professor Tyler Jacks, who is a pioneer and leader in the development of mouse models for the study of cancer biology. Dr Orange Kim has published nearly 20 papers as first and co-first author in recent years, illustrating the role of the immune system in cancer (Cell, 2019; Nature Reviews Cancer, 2013), metabolic diseases (Nature, 2020; Nature, 2012; Cell Metabolism 2013), and tissue (Science, 2016; PNAS, 2011), especially in immune-microflora interactions and immune-neural interactions. Since the establishment of his independent laboratory, he has published several reviews and has several research in progress, and has received awards and grants from the NIH and many prestigious foundations, including R01, NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (DP2), Pew-Stewart Scholar, Damon Runyon Innovation Award, NIH Pathway to Independence Award (R00/K99), MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35.

Currently, the lab has several promising projects in progress, and is expected to publish a series of excellent results in the near future. We are looking for talented people from all kinds of backgrounds to join us to take on important and novel projects, which will ensure that the new members can quickly get up to speed and produce excellent results.
We are particularly interested in candidates with backgrounds in immunology, neurobiology, tumour biology, microbiology or bioinformatics!

The University of Pennsylvania is one of the world’s top private research universities, one of the eight Ivy League institutions, with a long history of excellence in comprehensive research, and the Penn School of Medicine, which is part of the lab, has been ranked as one of the top 3 best medical schools in the United States for many years, with a strong and rich resource in the direction of oncology immunology in particular.Philadelphia is located in the economically developed city of Philadelphia, with convenient life and traffic.Chinatown provides great convenience for Chinese people to live, and the campus has good security and first-class facilities.The postdoctoral fellowship offers a generous salary (not less than $65,000 per year), medical insurance and other benefits, as well as support for postdoctoral fellowships, so please feel free to contact Dr Orange Kim directly if you are interested. The research group will provide a pure research environment and the best academic prospect for each member.

 Available Subjects:

  • (1) novel myeloid subsets in “hot” and “cold” tumors,
  • (2) neuro-immune interaction in the lung,
  • (3) innate immune sensing in the tumor microenvironment,
  • (4) the gut-lung axis,
  • (5) CRISPR screen of novel molecular targets for tumor immunotherapy。

Eligibility criteria:

  • PhD degree (or forthcoming) in immunology, molecular biology, biochemistry or neuroscience, or other related fields;
  • Strong English reading and writing skills, proficient in reading English literature.
  • Ability to work independently, good ability to learn and co-operate, and good communication skills.

Application Procedure:

We welcome interested young people who meet the above criteria to join the group for development. Interested parties please send your curriculum vitae (CV), a short description of your research background and interests, and the names and contact details of three academic referees to [email protected].