Postdoctoral Research Associate - Center for Pediatric Neurological Disease Research

A postdoctoral research associate position is available with Dr. Xiaoyu Chen.

Are you seeking an exciting and rewarding postdoctoral position at the intersection of neuroscience, stem cell biology, and therapeutic development? Join the Chen lab in the Center for Pediatric Neurological Disease Research at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a world-class institution advancing cures for pediatric diseases.

Our research focuses on how genetic variants contribute to diseases during early development and on developing mechanism-driven therapeutics. While animal models have advanced our understanding of many disorders, developing highly effective therapeutics are still lagging, especially for newly identified rare disease variants for children. The Chen laboratory aims to accelerate therapeutic development for brain disorders, leveraging stem cell-derived organoid models and gene targeting tools. Our recent work demonstrated that stem cell models offer a unique opportunity to study disease phenotypes in a human-specific context, and to identify novel drug targets.

Future research themes:

How genetic variants contribute to diseases: We leverage the stem-cell derived organoid and assembloid co-culture system to study disease. By integrating single-cell multiomics, spatial transcriptomics, long-read sequencing, and high-throughput functional imaging, we aim to identify disease-relevant phenotypes across key developmental windows.

Mechanism-driven therapeutics: We will develop therapeutic strategies based on antisense oligonucleotides, genome engineering and small molecules. Our goal is to translate the most promising candidates into clinical applications and ultimately to bring them to the bedside.

As a postdoctoral fellow in the lab, you will contribute to these projects involving 3D culture systems and gene therapy development, while also having the opportunity to pursue your own research interests using large-scale datasets and engineering approaches.

Position Responsibilities:

You will

• Lead innovative projects on disease modeling and therapeutic discovery

• Gain hands-on experience with stem cell, omics, and gene therapy platforms

• Receive personalized mentorship and career development support

• Have opportunities to pursue your own research interests and collaborate across disciplines

• Work in a supportive and well-funded team with access to core facilities and institutional resources

Minimum Education and/or Training:

• A Ph.D. in biomedical science, engineering, bioinformatics, or related areas is required.

• Backgrounds in cell and molecular biology, cell culture, imaging, statistics are preferred but not required.

• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals

Special Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

Successful applicants will be collaborative, curious, and highly motivated, with strong communication skills.

About the lab and St. Jude:

Successful candidates will work closely with Dr. Chen to develop a personalized career development plan tailored to their long-term goals. Our lab is deeply committed to fostering both scientific excellence and the well-being of every team member. Postdoctoral fellows are actively supported in their transition to independent careers across both academic and industry sectors.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a world-class research institution dedicated to pediatric cancer and other catastrophic diseases of childhood. The first and only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Our 300 faculty work across the spectrum of basic, translational, clinical, and population science in a highly collaborative multidisciplinary environment that includes a Nobel laureate and members of the National Academy of Science and the National Academy of Medicine. St. Jude is ranked on Fortune Magazine’s “Best Workplaces in Health Care & Biopharma” and Glassdoor’s “Best Places to Work,” and is located in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, a vibrant and friendly city at the historic American crossroads of music, trade, food and culture.

We are in pursuit of the brightest minds in biomedical sciences, individuals poised to contribute to our research progress. Other than access to top-quality scientists and mentors, as a postdoctoral trainee at St. Jude, you will have:

• A Blend of Academic Freedom and Industrial Efficiency: Access to shared resources and facilities led by expert scientists, coupled with cutting-edge technology, accelerates research prod