RESEARCH FELLOW

The University of Michigan Health System is committed to improving the health of patients, populations, and communities through excellence in education, patient care, community service, research, and technology development, guided by its Strategic Principles. The mission encompasses patient care, education, and research to enhance societal contributions nationally and internationally.

The Department of Dermatology is seeking a highly motivated Research Fellow to investigate the molecular mechanisms governing epithelial regulation of immune responses in autoimmune and inflammatory skin disease. Our laboratory studies how keratinocytes orchestrate cutaneous immunity and how dysregulation of these pathways contributes to inflammatory skin diseases such as cutaneous lupus. Current projects integrate mechanistic molecular biology, mouse models, and cutting-edge multiomic analyses of human tissues to uncover epithelial gene regulatory networks and translate these discoveries into novel therapeutic strategies.

The successful candidate will join a dynamic and collaborative research team investigating the mechanisms underlying epithelial inflammation and immune dysregulation. This role includes supervising and training junior laboratory members, including undergraduate students, graduate students, and research staff, in laboratory techniques and safety. The individual will design and perform experiments, analyze and interpret data, perform statistical analyses, prepare presentations, conduct literature reviews, and draft research manuscripts and grant applications. The candidate should possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, a positive and inquisitive attitude, and strong interpersonal skills. Collaboration with investigators across the University of Michigan and its core facilities, together with clear documentation of research activities, is essential. The successful candidate will have opportunities to develop independent research projects, present and publish their work, and pursue fellowship funding.

Responsibilities include molecular and cellular biology, mammalian cell culture, gene and protein expression analyses, gene perturbation approaches, and mechanistic studies of transcriptional regulation. The successful candidate will also conduct in vivo studies using mouse models of autoimmune skin disease, including tissue collection and phenotypic analyses, and contribute to the development of new experimental approaches. Experience with molecular biology, immunology, mouse models, transcriptional regulation, or genomic approaches is desirable but not required.

The selected candidate must uphold NIH standards and all applicable Federal and State regulations in all aspects of their research activities.

This selected candidate must hold a PhD in biology or a related field within the last 3 years.

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes .

Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings.  Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.