Postdoctoral Fellow - Computational Immunology & Translational Oncology

Harvard University, United States

Updated: about 2 hours ago
Location: Cambridge, MASSACHUSETTS
Deadline: ;

Details


Title Postdoctoral Fellow - Computational Immunology & Translational Oncology
School Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering
Department/Area
Position Description
About the Wyss:
The Wyss Institute’s mission is to transform healthcare and the environment by emulating the way nature builds. We harness the imagination of academia and the focus of industry to translate ground-breaking technologies into commercial products that solve big problems. We support research that universities, companies, and venture capital firms don’t fund because they view it as too risky. We prefer to use the word “challenging,” and we love challenges. For more information, discover our technologies , catch up on our recent news , or watch our latest videos .
About this Role:
The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University seeks outstanding postdoctoral applicants with expertise in immunology and computational biology, specifically bulk/single cell sequencing and AI/ML workflows, to join an interdisciplinary team of biologists and engineers to leverage in vitro organ-on-a-chip (Organ Chip) microfluidic culture systems and injectable formulations to study and model adaptive immunity in female reproductive tract cancers. The position is within a team lead by Dr. Don Ingber and Dr. Girija Goyal which is developing model systems and AI tools to help pharma and regulatory authorities make better decisions and therapies to treat these diseases. In addition to contributing to or leading the publication of research articles, this role provides the opportunity to present your research to regulatory agencies, investors, pharma companies etc. This role may also provide the opportunity to join a spin-out company as part of the founding team.
Learn more about the innovative work here: https://wyss.harvard.edu/technology/inode-implantable-lymphoid-organs-for-ovarian-cancer-therapy/
What you’ll do:
  • Integrate multi-omics, spatial pathology, and clinical datasets to identify biomarkers of therapy responsiveness, define cancer patient subpopulations most likely to benefit from therapy, and support biomarker-informed clinical translation.
  • Develop, use, and evolve computational pipelines, including for:
    • Analysis of bulk and single cell RNA-sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and proteomics datasets
    • Integration of experimental model data with public and clinical datasets
    • Statistical modeling and survival analysis
    • Machine learning and retrieval-augmented AI models for biomarker prioritization and decision support

  • ·Work closely with cross-functional team members to develop hypotheses, interpret data, and advance project goals
  • Work closely with the organ chip bench team to assist and/or independently design, develop, and execute in vitro experimental protocols; generate robust and consistent data of high quality with clear scientific documentation
  • Present key results to project teams and stakeholders.
  • Contribute to grants, publications, and patent applications.
  • Mentor students and technicians and provide project feedback.

Additional Information:
  • We encourage candidates to apply by October 2, 2026
  • Duration: This is a one-year term position from the date of hire, with the possibility of extension, contingent upon work performance, business need, and continued funding to support the position.

Salary and Benefits:
  • This position is salaried and benefits eligible. Information regarding postdoctoral fellow salary, which is determined by the number of years post PhD, and benefits can be found at https://postdoc.hms.harvard.edu/guidelines .
  • With this appointment, you are represented by the Harvard Academic Workers (HAW) – UAW for purposes of collective bargaining and matters affecting your compensation and working conditions.
  • Access to Harvard’s libraries and research core facilities, as well as support from the Wyss’s in-house Clinical & Translational Research Core and Machine Shop.
  • Robust administrative and operational support for office and lab needs.
  • Availability of flexible work arrangements for some administrative positions dependent on Institute needs.
  • Newly constructed office and laboratory space in Boston’s Fenway District. Our space has multiple amenities which include: roof top terrace, fitness center, locker room, bike storage, and close proximity to numerous restaurants and cultural attractions.

Why you’ll like working with us:
At the Wyss Institute, you’re a member of a supportive, dynamic community that is united by its shared goal of changing the world through groundbreaking technology development and commercialization. We encourage your professional growth and development through mentorship and tuition reimbursement to support continued learning, and more. Our facility is located in a new, state-of-the-art life sciences building in the lively Fenway neighborhood, where you have access to multiple amenities including a roof top terrace with stunning views of Boston and proximity to numerous restaurants and cultural attractions. We value an inclusive and diverse workforce, and believe that our differences enrich the work environment for all.
Not ready to apply? Join our talent community here!
Basic Qualifications
What you’ll Need:
  • Applicants are expected to hold a Ph.D.
  • Experience with computer programming, such as R and/or Python is required.
  • Able to work independently, meet specific goals and milestones, but also serve as part of a collaborative interdisciplinary team.
Additional Qualifications
Desirable Skills:
  • Experience analyzing and integrating multi-omics datasets, including single-cell RNA-seq, bulk RNA-seq, spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, secretome/exosome profiling, and functional assay data.
  • Prior research or work experience with cancer immunology, tumor microenvironment analysis, immune cell-state annotation, pathway enrichment, and biomarker discovery, especially in the context of immunotherapy response or tertiary lymphoid structures.
  • Experience applying machine learning and statistical modeling to biological or clinical datasets, including unsupervised clustering, dimensionality reduction, survival modeling, feature selection, and supervised learning approaches such as random forests, gradient boosting, or Cox regression.
  • Interest in applying large language models, retrieval-augmented generation, or AI-assisted decision-support systems to synthesize complex biomedical datasets and support expert-guided patient prioritization.
  • Hands-on experience in performing primary human- and cancer- cell culture, complex cell-based assay development and screening technologies (including multicolor flow cytometry, RNA-seq, library preparation for sc RNA -seq, MSD, ELISA, etc.)
  • Track record of innovative research in an academic or research setting.
  • Exceptional organizational, technical writing abilities, and record-keeping skills.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Special Instructions
Applications should contain:
  • A complete resume.
  • Cover letter describing research interests and goals.
  • Full list of publications, and copies of up to three relevant scientific papers.
  • A PDF or Word Document that contains names and contact information of three references (expected to be contacted, or provide letters of recommendation).
Contact Information
Wyss Institute Academic Affairs
[email protected]
Contact Email [email protected]
Salary Range
Starting Salary of $72,000 to $ 77,500 depending on experience
Minimum Number of References Required
Maximum Number of References Allowed
Keywords
Computational Immunology, Computational biology, AI/ML workflows, biomarkers, Cancer biology

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