Postdoctoral Researcher Position | Phage Therapy | UC San Diego

Job Description

Postdoctoral Researcher Position – Llorente Lab

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The Llorente Lab within the Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine at UC San Diego , is hiring a Postdoctoral Researcher to join our NIH-funded research program focused on developing innovative microbiome-based therapeutic approaches for gastrointestinal and liver diseases. Our research focuses on understanding the mechanisms that regulate intestinal homeostasis , including interactions among the intestinal epithelium, microbiome, and immune system, and how these processes influence liver disease, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), as well as substance use disorders.

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The successful candidate will contribute to a new research program focused on bacteriophage biology and microbiome-targeted therapeutics . The project will involve the characterization and development of microbiome-directed approaches and the investigation of their effects on host physiology and disease. The work will integrate microbiology, molecular biology, gastrointestinal biology, and in vivo models.

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Our project investigates the gut–liver axis using preclinical animal models and patient-derived samples. We employ cutting-edge approaches, including metabolomics, metagenomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, phage therapy, and intestinal and liver organoid cultures , to uncover mechanisms underlying disease and identify novel therapeutic strategies. A major goal of our research is translational : to identify and develop innovative therapeutic approaches for liver disease and substance use disorders, including bacteriophage-based therapies and other microbiome-targeted interventions.

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Qualifications

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Applicants must have a PhD in microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biology, immunology, pharmacy, or a related biomedical science discipline.

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We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in one or more of the following areas:

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• Bacteriophage biology, phage isolation, characterization, or engineering
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• Microbiology and bacterial genetics
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• Host–microbiome interactions
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• Microbiome research and microbial ecology
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• Molecular biology and microbial physiology
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• Development of microbiome-targeted or microbial therapeutics
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• Gastrointestinal biology
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• In vivo biomedical research and preclinical disease models
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Experience with bacteriophage isolation, propagation, purification, and characterization; bacterial culture and genetic manipulation; microbiome profiling, metagenomics, or microbial community analysi s; and in vivo mouse models would be advantageous.

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The ideal candidate will be highly motivated, intellectually curious, creative, and passionate about science, with a strong record of research productivity and a desire to pursue innovative and translational research .

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Application

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Interested applicants should submit the following documents:

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• CV or resume , including contact information for 2–3 references
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• Cover letter describing your research experience, interests, and motivation for joining the Llorente Lab
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Please send application materials directly to Dr. Llorente at View email address on ziprecruiter.com .

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• We look forward to hearing from enthusiastic and motivated scientists interested in advancing our understanding of the gut–liver and gut–brain axes and developing new therapeutic strategies for human disease.
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