Postdoctoral Fellow

The Duraisingh Laboratory in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the Harvard University Chan School of Public Health is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to contribute to a research program focused on the genetic engineering of cultured red blood cells (RBCs), for applications in transfusion medicine, infectious diseases, and therapeutic development. The specific project aims to engineer erythroid cells to generate cultured RBCs with enhanced functional properties for improved survival, altered immunological characteristics, and with novel cell-based therapeutic capabilities. 

The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary and collaborative effort at the interface of synthetic biology, hematology, and regenerative medicine. Research activities will include the design and implementation of genetic engineering strategies in erythroid cells, development of cell culture and differentiation systems, functional characterization of engineered RBCs, and integration of synthetic biology approaches to optimize cellular performance. 

The Fellow will develop an independent research project aligned with the broader goals of the collaboration and will have opportunities to lead publications, make scientific presentations and contribute to collaborative grant activities. The Fellow will work closely with researchers across a unique multi-institutional collaboration, providing access to state-of-the-art approaches in synthetic biology, gene circuit engineering, phenotyping and in vivo models.

The Duraisingh Laboratory studies red blood cells and their pathogens (malaria, babesiosis). The laboratory provides a highly collaborative environment with strong mentorship and extensive opportunities for professional development.