Position Summary
Position Description:
A postdoctoral position is available in the laboratory of Jason Bazil in the Department of Physiology at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. The primary goal of this position is to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying calcium-induced, reactive oxygen species-sensitized mitochondrial dysfunction and its role in chronic disease and cellular injury. The selected candidate will utilize cryo-electron tomography, respirometry, spectrofluorimetry, and other biochemical approaches to characterize the structural and functional effects of calcium overload on mitochondria. For more information about the lab and our research interests, please visit https://bazillab.com/.
The responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to:
- Design and perform experiments related to mitochondrial structure and function.
- Analyze and interpret experimental data.
- Prepare manuscripts, reports, presentations, and other scholarly communications.
- Train and collaborate with students and other laboratory personnel.
- Contribute to grant proposals and research publications.
- Maintain accurate research records and comply with laboratory, university, and EHS safety requirements.
The selected candidate will have extensive opportunities to publish, and access to exceptional resources to facilitate their independent research.
This is an off-date position funded for one year from the date of hire, with possible extension contingent upon funding renewal and satisfactory performance. The duties to be performed by this position require in-person presence in East Lansing, MI, and are not compatible with remote work.
As an institution of higher learning, Michigan State University is committed to providing a safe environment for its students, faculty, and staff in support of its educational mission. With this commitment, the University conducts criminal background checks and professional misconduct reviews of all applicants for employment in faculty, academic staff, and executive management searches.
A professional misconduct review is a prerequisite for a candidate to be selected for this position. Applicants will be asked to disclose whether they are subject to any pending investigation, findings or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Professional misconduct includes misconduct related to a person’s employment, including, but not limited to, theft, embezzlement, research integrity, discrimination, or harassment under civil rights laws and policies, including protected identity harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct (sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, etc.), and retaliation. All applicants will be asked to sign an authorization and release, which authorizes the University to contact the candidate’s current and former employers, for a period of 7 years prior to the date of application, related to any pending investigations, findings of responsibility and/or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Nothing will be sent to current or former employers unless the candidate reaches the semi-finalist stage.
The existence of professional misconduct history does not automatically exclude a candidate from employment. The University will assess the history, including any information provided by the candidate, in determining whether it is compatible with the position. The University may decline to hire a candidate based on the professional misconduct review. All records obtained from external employers will be kept in a secure location, separate from personnel files. If an applicant fails to sign the authorization and release, the application will be deemed incomplete and will be withdrawn.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree
Doctorate -Physics, physiology, biochemistry, biomedical engineering
Minimum Requirements
- Ph.D. in Physiology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Biophysics, or a related field completed prior to the first day of employment.
- Evidence of productive scientific scholarship demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications.
- Research experience in a laboratory setting, including experience with mitochondrial physiology, bioenergetics, biochemistry, or related biomedical research.
- Experience performing experimental studies and analyzing biochemical, cellular, physiological, or mitochondrial data.
- Experience working with animal models and/or biological specimens.
- Ability to conduct independent research and work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment.
- Strong organizational, analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
Desired Qualifications
Preference will be given to candidates with:
- Experience with cryo-electron microscopy and/or cryo-electron tomography.
- Experience with mitochondrial functional assays, including respirometry and spectrofluorimetric techniques.
- Knowledge of calcium signaling, reactive oxygen species biology, mitochondrial dysfunction, cardiac physiology, or related fields.
- Experience with enzyme kinetics and quantitative data analysis.
- Record of scientific presentations and scholarly publications.
Required Application Materials
- Resume/CV
- A list of three to five professional references and their contact information
- Cover Letter
Special Instructions
The University will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, complete the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities contact form here: https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/form/contact. Michigan State University is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse student body, faculty, and administrative staff.
Review of Applications Begins On
09/04/2026
Summary of Health Risks
Employees may work with or near human and/or animal blood and/or tissues; live animals; bio-hazardous chemicals and materials; viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens; radioactive materials; medical waste; and sharp implements.
Website
https://physiology.natsci.msu.edu/#:~:te
Department Statement
The Department of Physiology and Division of Pathology Division have significant teaching and research missions. The position works with a global community of internationally recognized scholars from diverse nationalities, ethnicities, and backgrounds; two large undergraduate majors (Physiology and Neuroscience) with approximately 1,200 majors combined; the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology (MCIP) graduate program, popularly combined with professional degrees (MD, DO, DVM); and vibrant research programs in areas such as cancer biology, cardiac pathophysiology, diabetes and obesity, gastrointestinal health and disease, immunity and tissue inflammation, musculoskeletal diseases, molecular metabolism and disease, and neuroscience. The discipline of physiology is uniquely positioned among the biomedical sciences to span the gulf between exploring the most fundamental aspects of biology and the most practical and applied problems of human and animal health. Faculty in the Physiology Department at Michigan State University work to understand how the vast array of molecular and cellular events successfully integrate to define the phenomenon of human existence.
The Physiology Department Mission:
- Identify factors and molecules that promote health and disease.
- Understand mechanisms of disease progression.
- Improve overall human and animal health through identification of novel therapeutic targets and treatments.
- Train future scientists in state-of-the-art physiology concepts & approaches.
MSU Statement
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
