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Open Positions:
Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Mucosal Immunology & the Microbiome

Direct Supervisor:  Douglas S. Kwon, MD PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine
Email: dkwon@mgh.harvard.edu
Phone: (857) 268-7009
Employing Hospital and Department: Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard
Minimum degree and field of knowledge:  PhD and/or MD with experience in immunology
Years experience required:  At least 3 years of doctoral research experience

Summary:
The Kwon Laboratory (www.kwonlab.org) at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston has an opening for a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to study alterations in the microbiome that occur with HIV infection, following up on recent studies published by our group in ImmunityThe Lancet Infectious Diseases, and Cell Host and Microbe (see further details here).  This includes examination of the role of the microbiome in the female genital tract and gut and the impact of these changes on host mucosal immunity. The person hired will work under the supervision of Dr. Kwon conducting patient-oriented translational research involving transcriptional and immunologic profiling of mucosal immune populations and the microbiome with the aim of generating new approaches to treat and prevent HIV infection using samples from well-characterized cohorts in the U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa. The position will also involve the use of novel in vivo model system, such as germ-free and humanized mice.

Candidates will have ample opportunities to acquire and develop new skills, work closely with the PI and collaborators, and communicate results to the scientific community through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications while working in a supportive, highly collaborative, and energetic environment.  State-of-the-art facilities are available within an exceptional research setting.

Job Duties:
Under the direction of the principal investigator, the applicant will independently carry out activities performing laboratory research. Duties include:

  • Guide research projects through experimental design, conduct experiments, and analysis of data
  • Maintain detailed documentation of the experimental work
  • Present data within and outside of the laboratory group at meetings and symposia
  • Work closely within the group and with outside collaborators
  • Mentor students and technicians
  • Maintain close communications with the PI regarding progress
  • Write, edit, and submit manuscripts/abstracts detailing the results of the project
  • Demonstrate integrity, excellence, accountability and teamwork in all interactions

Qualifications:

  • A Ph.D. and/or M.D. with relevant experience in immunology, murine models, and/or transcriptional profiling preferred
  • Experience with flow cytometry, cell culture
  • Prior work with murine models preferred
  • Highly motivated and independent, with the ability to work in a dynamic team environment
  • Exceptional organizational skills and excellent attention to detail
  • Strong oral and written communications skills
  • Must have good interpersonal skills
  • Occasional weekend or evening flexibility

Application information: The position is open immediately although the start date is flexible. Please submit a cover letter, CV, and references to Dr. Doug Kwon at dkwon@mgh.harvard.edu. Unfortunately, due to the number of applications we receive, we may not be able to reply individually to all inquiries.  All applicants, including those from abroad, must be able to come to Cambridge, MA USA for an in-person interview.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Murine Models of Mucosal Immunology

Direct Supervisor:  Doug S. Kwon, MD PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine
Email: dkwon@mgh.harvard.edu
Phone: (857) 268-7009
Website: www.kwonlab.org

Employing Hospital and Department: Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard
Minimum degree and field of knowledge: PhD and/or MD with experience in immunology, microbiology and/or computational approaches
Years experience required: At least 3 years of doctoral research experience

Summary:
The Kwon Laboratory (www.kwonlab.org) at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston has an opening for a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to study mechanistic links between the vaginal microbiome and adverse reproductive outcomes, following up on recent studies published by our group in Immunity, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, and Cell Host and Microbe (see further details here).  This includes examination of the role of the vaginal microbiome that impact host mucosal immunity and HIV acquisition risk. The person hired will work under the supervision of Dr. Kwon conducting patient-oriented translational research using samples from well characterized cohorts in the U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa involving transcriptional and immunologic profiling of mucosal immune populations and the microbiome using novel technologies, with the aim of generating new approaches to treat and prevent HIV infections. This includes the use of novel murine models to perform mechanistic studies of the role of mucosal immunity in the female genital tract on HIV susceptibility.

Candidates will have ample opportunities to acquire and develop new skills, work closely with the PI and collaborators, and communicate results to the scientific community through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications while working in a supportive, highly collaborative, and energetic environment.  State-of-the-art facilities are available within an exceptional research setting.

Job Duties: Under the direction of the principal investigator, the applicant will independently carry out activities performing laboratory research. Duties include:

  • Guide research projects through experimental design, conduct of experiments, and analysis of data
  • Maintain detailed documentation of the experimental work
  • Present data within and outside of the laboratory group at meetings and symposia
  • Work closely within the group and with outside collaborators
  • Mentor students and technicians
  • Maintain close communications with the PI regarding progress
  • Write, edit, and submit manuscripts/abstracts detailing the results of the project
  • Demonstrate integrity, excellence, accountability and teamwork in all interactions

Ideal Qualifications:

  • A Ph.D. and/or M.D. with relevant experience in immunology and mouse work preferred
  • Experience with flow cytometry, cell culture
  • Highly motivated and independent, with the ability to work in a dynamic team environment
  • Exceptional organizational skills and excellent attention to detail
  • Strong oral and written communications skills
  • Must have good interpersonal skills
  • Prior work with murine models

Application information: The position is open immediately although the start date is flexible. Please submit a cover letter, CV, and references to Dr. Doug Kwon at dkwon@mgh.harvard.edu. Unfortunately, due to the number of applications we receive, we may not be able to reply individually to all inquiries. All applicants, including those from abroad, must be able to come to Cambridge, MA USA for an in-person interview.

Bioinformatics Research Technician

Direct Supervisor:  Douglas S. Kwon, MD PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine
Email: dkwon@mgh.harvard.edu
Phone: (857) 268-7009
Employing Hospital and Department: Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard
Minimum degree and field of knowledge: BS/BA/BEng
Years experience required: Prior classwork in computing and/or computational biology experience

Summary:

The Kwon Laboratory at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston (www.kwonlab.org) is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Bioinformatics Research Technician for a two-year commitment to join our team in studying the vaginal microbiome and vaginal mucosal immunology in the context of HIV acquisition risk, bacterial vaginosis, sexual health, and reproductive outcomes. The ideal candidate will have experience in developing shared bioinformatic pipelines and documentation, analyzing large-scale sequencing data, coaching other researchers through their own analysis, and performing an independent project. The candidate will work closely with our lab Bioinformatician/Data Scientist to implement and develop bioinformatic approaches to analyze complex datasets in a fast-paced and collaborative environment.

Job Duties:

Under the direction of the data scientist, the associated responsibilities will include:

  • Develop and maintain bioinformatics pipelines for the analysis of microbiome composition and host gene expression data sets.
  • Analyze large-scale sequencing data using software tools such as dada2 for 16S analysis, SLURM on a Unix academic cluster, R, python, conda, and Snakemake to manage dependencies and develop pipelines.
  • Develop quality control of sequencing data and generate visualizations to aid in data interpretation.
  • Coach other researchers and members of the lab in bioinformatic approaches and analysis.
  • Conduct an independent project in bioinformatics and present findings at lab meetings and conferences.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in bioinformatics, biology, or a related field.
  • Minimum of 2 years of computational research experience.
  • Experience with programming in R and/or Python.
  • Experience with Unix/Linux command line and working on HPC clusters using job submission systems.
  • Strong ability to communicate complex concepts effectively to non-technical audiences.
  • Experience with the vaginal microbiome and/or mucosal immunology is a plus but not required.

Skills/Abilities/Competencies Required:

  • Ability to work independently and as a team member
  • Good communication skills
  • Computer literacy
  • Working knowledge of clinical research protocols
  • Ability to perform multiple tasks independently
  • The Research Technician II should also possess:
  • Analytical skills and the ability to resolve technical problems
  • Ability to interpret the acceptability of data results
  • Working knowledge of data management programs
  • Demonstrated competence in research techniques and methodologies

Application information: The position is open immediately. Please submit a cover letter, CV, and references to Joseph Elsherbini at jelsherbini@mgh.harvard.edu.

 

Research Technician

Direct Supervisor:  Douglas S. Kwon, MD PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine
Email: dkwon@mgh.harvard.edu
Phone: (857) 268-7009
Employing Hospital and Department: Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard
Minimum degree and field of knowledge: Bachelor’s degree in biology, microbiology, computational biology, biological engineering, ecology, or similar required.

Years experience required: New graduates with some lab experience (via course work, internships, etc.) will be considered for the Research Technician I position outlined above.

Summary:

The Kwon Laboratory at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston (www.kwonlab.org) has an opening for a highly motivated Research Technician to develop novel therapies to treat dysbiosis of the female genital tract microbiome and its associated diseases. The goal is to translate recent scientific discoveries from the Kwon lab into patient impact to improve the lives of millions experiencing bacterial vaginosis and help reduce the spread of HIV, particularly among young women in sub-Saharan Africa. The person hired will work under the supervision of Dr. Doug Kwon and Dr. Meilin Zhu, a research scientist, conducting patient-oriented translational research involving cutting-edge technologies. The position will involve the development and performance of anaerobic microbiological, host-microbial, and host-focused immunological assays to study mucosal bacteria and their interactions with the host.

This is a great opportunity for someone interested in pursuing a career in scientific research or medicine while working in a supportive, highly collaborative, and energetic environment. The lab studies samples from ongoing clinical cohorts based in the US and South Africa examining risk of HIV, HIV pathogenesis, Bacterial Vaginosis, preterm birth, and other adverse outcomes to vaginal and reproductive health. State-of-the-art facilities are available within an exceptionally energetic research setting.

The Kwon lab is committed to providing a diverse, inclusive, and supportive environment; appropriately qualified applicants from all backgrounds will be considered.

Job Duties:

  • Perform experiments analyzing microbial and tissue samples from human subjects, assessing the impact of the microbiome and HIV infection on cervicovaginal mucosal health.
  • Perform and assist with experiments involving next generation sequencing, bacteriology, immunologic assays, microscopy, flow cytometry and molecular biology.
  • Analyze data and present findings to others.
  • Maintain detailed documentation of the experimental work.
  • Ensure quality control of equipment, reagents and cellular components.
  • Read and interpret current literature to aid in experimental design.
  • Work closely within the group and with outside collaborators.
  • Maintain close communications with supervisors regarding progress.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in biology, microbiology, computational biology, biological engineering, ecology, or similar required.
  • New graduates with some lab experience (via course work, internships, etc.) will be considered for the Research Technician I position outlined above.

Skills/Abilities/Competencies Required:

  • Highly motivated and independent, with the ability to work in a dynamic team environment
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
  • Laboratory experience required
  • Computer experience including expertise with Microsoft Office programs is essential
  • Experience with anaerobic microbiology is highly preferred
  • Experience with R and python is highly preferred
  • Flexibility to occasionally work evenings and weekends if needed

Application information: Please send your resume, cover letter, and contact information for three references to Dr. Doug Kwon (dkwon@mgh.harvard.edu).