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VCU postdocs are Virginia state employees, with benefits mirroring 12-month faculty. We adhere closely to the NPA’s guidelines for best practices in postdoc training. We work closely with our local NPA chapter, the VCU Postdoc Association, to make this a welcoming and productive place to complete your training!

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Unit: School Of Medicine MBU

Department: Microbiology and Immunology

Department Summary: Located on the MCV Campus in downtown Richmond, the Department of Microbiology and Immunology is home to a vibrant community of researchers, educators and learners. With a strong history of research funding, our department strives to advance scientific knowledge in the biomedical sciences and inform medical advancements that improve patient outcomes. Our innovative studies span a broad spectrum of areas within the fields of microbiology and immunology:

Allergy and autoimmunity
Host-pathogen interactions and molecular pathogenesis
Human microbiome science and microbial genomics
Reproductive immunology
T-cell therapy and vaccine development
Tumor biology, cell signaling and epigenetics

As educators, we are proud to provide a collaborative, collegial learning environment for our students. Faculty and postdoctoral fellows serve as dedicated mentors, providing an individualized educational experience and shaping the next generation of successful scientists.

Position Summary:

The successful candidate will join a laboratory studying the microbiome and microenvironment of the female reproductive tract, with a principal role on a study of the vaginal microbiome and the host transcriptional response to it in pregnancy. That study draws on the Multi-Omic Microbiome Study: Pregnancy Initiative (MOMS-PI), a cohort of more than 1,500 pregnancies with banked specimens and comprehensively abstracted clinical outcomes, and asks whether distinct host transcriptional states of the vaginal mucosa — rather than microbial community composition alone — determine risk of preterm birth and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. The Fellow will also contribute to other ongoing projects in the laboratory, including sequencing and characterizing pathogenic viruses and related pathogens (part of the Pathogen Genomic Center of Excellence). This is a bench-focused position: the emphasis is on generating high-quality sequencing and assay data across a range of modalities, working alongside an established bioinformatics and biostatistics team who lead the computational analyses.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Molecular biology and nucleic acid methods

Extract, purify and quality-control DNA and RNA from vaginal swabs, cytobrush specimens, tissue and clinical specimens Perform digital PCR, quantitative PCR, and multiplex cytokine immunoassay. Construct plasmids and recombinant DNA constructs as projects require.

RNA-seq and metatranscriptomic sequencing

Prepare total RNA libraries with dual rRNA depletion, coordinate sequencing runs with the VCU Genomics Core, and perform quality assessment of resulting libraries and data.

Single-cell transcriptomics

Prepare and fix cervicovaginal cytobrush specimens for probe-based single-cell profiling on the 10x Chromium X platform, including sample dissociation, fixation, probe hybridization, and library construction. Prepare samples for flow cytometric immunophenotyping with the Flow Cytometry Shared Resource.

Spatial transcriptomics

Prepare fresh-frozen and FFPE tissue sections for spatial profiling, and generate libraries using the CytAssist and Visium HD platforms in coordination with the Genomics Core and TDAAC.

Microbial genome sequencing and metagenomics

Generate shotgun metagenomic libraries from vaginal specimens and, where projects require, sequence bacterial isolates and assemble their genomes.

DNA/RNA enrichment and method development

Apply and optimize enrichment strategies for low-biomass specimens, including host depletion, microbial enrichment, and targeted probe-based capture. Troubleshoot and adapt protocols to new specimen types, and document validated procedures for laboratory use.

Microbiome profiling by 16S taxonomic analysis

Generate 16S rRNA amplicon libraries and assign community types, working with the bioinformatics team on downstream taxonomic assignment.

Writing manuscripts for publication

Take a leading role in drafting manuscripts, prepare data and metadata for deposition in public and controlled-access repositories, and present findings at laboratory meetings and scientific conferences.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in microbiology, molecular biology, genomics, immunology, cell biology, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with molecular biology techniques, including nucleic acid extraction, quantification, and PCR.
• Experience preparing sequencing libraries or comparable experience with high-throughput molecular methods.
• Evidence of scientific productivity, including at least one first-author peer-reviewed publication or manuscript under review.
• Meticulous record-keeping and a demonstrated capacity to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with RNA sequencing library preparation, including rRNA depletion and stranded library chemistries.
• Experience with single-cell transcriptomics, particularly 10x Genomics platforms and fixed or probe-based workflows.
• Experience with spatial transcriptomics (Visium, CytAssist, GeoMx) or with tissue sectioning and histology.
• Experience with low-biomass samples and the contamination controls they require.
• Experience with microbiome methods: 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, shotgun metagenomics, or metatranscriptomics.
• Experience with digital PCR, multiplex immunoassay, or flow cytometry.
• Anaerobic bacterial culture experience.
• Background or interest in reproductive biology, mucosal immunology, or host-microbe interactions.
• Experience training or supervising junior laboratory personnel.

Salary Range: NIH scale: $63,480-$71,748

Benefits: All VCU employee types are eligible for a wide array of benefits to support you during your employment at VCU. Consult the benefits website for information on benefits eligibility according to employee type.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

ORP Eligible: Yes

Restricted Position: This is a restricted position with a one-year appointment; continued employment is dependent upon project need, availability of funding, and performance.

Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite

Contact Information:

Contact Name: Dr. Gregory Buck
Contact Email: gregory.buck@vcuhealth.org