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 Immunity, The 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.

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.