Postdoctoral Position Available (from Sept. 1, 2023-up to 3 years)

Topic: In vitro device development for Schistosoma egg migration study

Place:  PUCL, PURDUE UNIVERSITY, WEST LAFAYETTE CAMPUS

The Purdue University Cytometry Laboratory (PUCL) and Biomedical Engineering is inviting applications for a postdoc position available from Sept 1st, 2023.

Project description

The candidate will work on an exciting study funded by the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP), which aims to clarify how Schistosoma eggs are able to transit through the human gastrointestinal tissues despite lacking apparent locomotory appendages. The study will entail the development of microfluidic devices to realize in vitro models (organ-on-chip, organoid-on-chip) that recreate the human gastrointestinal (mesenteric capillary, epithelial/endothelial barriers, and the gut lumen) for use in the study of Schistosoma egg migration. This will include tracking multicellular interactions among host fibroblasts and immune cells associated with granuloma formation around a Schistosoma egg, and quantification of the forces involved in the migration from a tissue mechanics perspective. This is an international collaborative study which will require close collaboration with collaborators in Kenya who will be undertaking a similar study using in vivo models.  The successful candidate will work in the College of Veterinary Medicine within the PUCL research environment with a dedicated team of staff and postdocs in a very high technology lab environment.

About the PUCL lab:

Led by Prof. J Paul Robinson, the PUCL has a rich research history in cytometry and has developed a plethora of high-throughput spectroscopic techniques for cell and pathogen detection, including laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, elastic light scatter, single-photon spectroscopy, among others. The lab combines engineering with biological approaches to address fundamental challenges in pathogen detection in health and food safety.  

PUCL offers a welcoming and exciting research environment where you will work closely with members from diverse academic backgrounds (engineers, biologists, etc.) and nationalities to foster your creativity and multidisciplinarity through collaboration and exciting lab discussions over PIZZA every Friday. A healthy work experience as well as work-life balance awaits you. More info on the PUCL can be found at: http://www.cyto.purdue.edu

Basic qualifications

We are looking for a postdoc candidate who is enthusiastic about challenging new research fronts by combining engineering and biological approaches to answer fundamental biological questions. Specifically, we are looking for someone with basic experience in cell culture, cell handling and, possibly, experience in microfluidics and in vitro models such as organ-on-a-chip or organoids (or interest in this kind of research). Experience working with microscopes and analytical tools such as RT-PCR, qPCR, ELISA, western blots would be a plus. Additionally, experience in device instrumentation for force mapping and quantitative analysis of mechanical factors such as tissue stiffness would be an added advantage. 

Key tasks and responsibilities:

  • Design and develop in vitro models (e.g. gut-on-chip) to mimic the human gastrointestinal system.