Postdoctoral Research Associate - Developmental Neurobiology

A wet-lab postdoctoral position is available immediately in the Northcott Lab (Department of Developmental Neurobiology) to join a highly collaborative team studying the developmental and molecular basis of the childhood brain tumor medulloblastoma.

The Northcott Lab has established an internationally renowned track record in pediatric neuro-oncology, substantiated by numerous impactful publications in Nature , Cancer Cell , Nature Cancer, Lancet Oncology , and Journal of Clinical Oncology . Leveraging our exquisite access to patient material linked to large clinical trial cohorts, we are applying a combination of innovative, multi-omic approaches to discover new biological, mechanistic, and clinical insights responsible for medulloblastoma initiation, progression, and relapse. The successful applicant will be part of a multi-disciplinary team studying the biological and clinical utility of medulloblastoma liquid biopsies obtained from unprecedented clinical trial cohorts (Smith, Fischer, Han et al, Nature Cancer , 2026).

Research Focus & Responsibilities

• Process clinical samples for next-generation sequencing and multi-omic profiling
  
• Contribute to studies involving liquid biopsies and single-cell genomics
  
• Conduct innovative wet-lab research using patient-derived samples
  
• Perform molecular and cellular biology experiments related to tumor biology
  
• Collaborate with computational and clinical teams to interpret data and drive discovery
  

Required Qualifications

• PhD in cancer biology, molecular/cellular biology, biochemistry, immuno-oncology, or a related field
  
• Strong experimental background in cancer biology and molecular techniques
  
• Demonstrated productivity with a strong publication record
  
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
  
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with:
  
  • Next-generation sequencing sample preparation
    
  • Single-cell genomics technologies
    
  • Liquid biopsy workflows and clinical sample processing
    
• Exposure to genomics, epigenomics, or transcriptomics
  
• Basic experience in computational biology or familiarity with bioinformatics tools (e.g., data analysis pipelines, R/Python, or multi-omic data interpretation) is advantageous but not required
  

St. Jude is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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