Postdoctoral Associate in Lung Regeneration and Repair

The Chioccioli lab in the Department of Genetics and Comparative Medicine at Yale School of Medicine seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral scientist to embark on research focused on understanding the mechanisms that govern tissue regeneration and repair in mammalian lung. The successful applicant will receive:

• A generous starting salary, well beyond the NIH guidelines

• A discretionary fund for professional development

• Extensive mentoring and professional development opportunities

• An appointment for up to 5 years, reviewed annually

Our lab combines powerful genome-wide ‘omics approaches, genetic mouse models, in vivo and ex vivo live imaging, advanced microscopy and human lung slice culture to uncover fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms of repair in the lung. In our latest work, we developed longitudinal timelapse imaging of intact lung tissue in vivo and ex vivo and discovered alveolar stem cell migration between alveoli as a new cellular mechanism required for repair (Chioccioli et al., 2022, BioRxiv). We now seek to explore how different signals and cell-cell interactions modulate this and other repair mechanisms, and how these go awry in disease.

Available Projects

We have multiple NIH grants for suite of projects that together aim to define the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive lung tissue regeneration and repair in the live mouse. Within this, multiple related sub-projects and combinations thereof are available including:

i. characterizing the emergence of a transient progenitor population derived from alveolar stem cells following injury using precision cut lung slice culture and live timelapse imaging of intact lung tissue

ii. combined scRNA-seq and scATAC-seq to define the cell trajectories and gene regulatory networks that drive stem cell transitions in the in vivo mouse lung following injury

iii. multiphoton live imaging via a permanent lung window in the mouse to uncover dynamic behavior of individual alveolar stem cells over 2 – 4 weeks following injury

iv. in vivo single cell ablation to uncover fundamental principles of alveolar stem cell-niche interactions and how different cells in the niche are important for homeostasis and repair

v. a microfluidics-based approach to uncover key signaling pathways and other mechanisms that modulate alveolar stem cell migration

vi. investigating the role of other cell types in lung regeneration and repair including but not limited to endothelial cells, immune cells and fibroblasts.

Training & Responsibilities

The Chioccioli lab truly values the opportunity to train and mentor others. We also place equity, fairness and respect for each other at the highest level of importance. Weekly lab meetings, one-on-one meetings, professional growth and career mentorship, opportunities to present, opportunities to write manuscripts, opportunities to attend conferences and additional training and networking opportunities are all available. More broadly, the postdoctoral associate will become part of the vibrant scientific communities of the Department of Genetics and the Department of Comparative Medicine, as well as the community of postdoctoral scientists at Yale School of Medicine and Yale University. The postdoctoral associate will have the opportunity to learn unique cutting-edge imaging technologies (intravital and ex-vivo live imaging in moue lung), ex vivo mouse and human tissue platforms, cutting-edge single cell multi-omics approaches (ATAC-seq, and RNA-seq), microfluidics-based approaches and single cell laser ablation in vivo and multiple mouse models for lung injury (bleomycin and virus) along with standard approaches in mouse genetics, molecular biology, stem cell biology and cell biology. The candidate will also assist the Principal Investigator (PI) in performing research, contributing to daily laboratory operations, analyzing data, preparing manuscripts and presentations and assisting in the preparation of figures and text for grant submissions.

Mentoring and Professional Development

• Mentorship and career development are a priority in the lab and will be tailored by the PI according to the candidates long-term career goals

• The candidate will have regular meetings with the PI to discuss the development of the project, the relevant scientific background and career goals

• The candidate will be fully supported by the PI to apply for fellowships and career awards relevant to their area of expertise

• The candidate will develop laboratory technical skills as well as data presentation, visualization, and scientific writing and presentation, with the expectation that the candidate will gain independence and autonomy

• The candidate will have the opportunity to travel to meetings and conferences to present their work

• The candidate will have the opportunity to present their work internally to the Department of Genetics, Department of Comparative Medicine and the Yale Stem Cell Center via various forums and annual retreats

• The candidate will be able to attend the Genetics and Comparative Medicine seminars, retreats, gatherings and be part of a vibrant research community

• The candidate will have access to additional mentoring via the Department of Genetics dedicated postdoctoral mentoring program https://medicine.yale.edu/genetics/mentoring/postdoc/

Education & qualifications

Applicants should have, or be close to obtaining, a PhD in a relevant field such as genetics, cell biology, molecular biology, developmental biology, or related areas.

Key Experience and Competencies

• Candidates with a broad range of backgrounds in biomedical research are strongly encouraged to apply

• A strong track record in delivery of impactful research demonstrated via published or soon-to-be published work

• Understanding and experience with standard molecular biology techniques is a plus

• Hands-on experience with animal genetic models, preferably mouse is a plus.

• Interest and/or experience in the tissue regeneration field is a plus.

• Understanding and experience in the application of both 2P and confocal is a plus.

• Quantitative image processing and analysis, combining tools such as ImageJ, IMARIS

• Skilled in the use of programming languages including R and Matlab is a plus.

• The candidate should display a high level of personal initiative and be able to organize their time effectively to tackle both short- and long-term goals, and be able to work responsibly with others.

Application Instructions

Interested candidates should email Maurizio Chioccioli (maurizio.chioccioli@yale.edu) a brief summary of their interest in the job, their CV, and the contact information of at least 2-3 referees familiar with your experience and interests.

At the Mau Chioccioli lab, diversity, equity and inclusion are our commitment and passion. For further information and inquiries, please contact Dr. Maurizio Chiocciol