The Mu Lab at Yale School of Medicine seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Associate with strong expertise in immuno-oncology or immunology to investigate the mechanisms conferring resistance to immune and targeted therapies in prostate and bladder cancers. The lab integrates advanced organoid models, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and AI-driven data analysis to uncover the molecular and immune determinants of therapy resistance and to guide precision oncology strategies. Our recent work has been published in Cancer Cell (2020, 2023), Cancer Discovery (2024), Nature Cancer (2022), and Oncogene (2024). Candidates with additional experience in computational biology or artificial intelligence are strongly encouraged to apply.
Exciting Research Directions in the Lab
1. Mechanisms of Therapy Resistance and Tumor Evolution in Prostate Cancer: Our lab investigates the molecular mechanisms driving therapy resistance in prostate and bladder cancers, with a particular focus on lineage plasticity, epigenetic rewiring, and mutagenesis. We aim to elucidate how lineage transitions contribute to therapeutic resistance and to identify novel combination strategies that can prevent or reverse these adaptive states. By leveraging CRISPR-based Perturb-seq in 3D organoid models, we systematically dissect the function of novel tumor suppressors and oncogenes and identify resistance drivers to AR-targeted and immune therapies. These efforts are complemented by studies on tumor evolution, heterogeneity, and mechanisms promoting genomic instability under therapeutic pressure.
2. Tumor Microenvironment, Immune Modulation, and Spatial Heterogeneity: Understanding how prostate and bladder cancers interact with and remodel their microenvironment is central to our research. We study how tumor-intrinsic factors modulate immune evasion and reprogram stromal and immune cell populations to support resistance. To achieve spatial and single-cell resolution, we perform integrative single-cell and spatial transcriptomic profiling of clinical specimens. These analyses, coupled with advanced machine learning, allow us to construct detailed cellular atlases of prostate tumors and their microenvironments, guiding the discovery of microenvironment-informed therapeutic strategies.
3. Translational Platforms: AI-Driven Precision Medicine and Patient-Derived Organoids: Our lab develops and applies proprietary AI models tailored for prostate and bladder cancers, integrating single-cell and spatial transcriptomic data from FFPE samples and patient-derived organoids to predict molecular subtypes and therapeutic responses. These tools power a precision oncology framework that enables data-driven treatment selection. In parallel, we generate patient-derived 3D organoids as functional avatars to test therapeutic efficacy and resistance. By combining organoid-based drug testing with AI-guided prediction, we aim to deliver individualized, evidence-based treatment strategies for prostate cancer patients.
Qualifications:
- Candidates must hold a Ph.D. and/or M.D. degree.
- Applicants with a strong background in immuno-oncology, immunology, molecular and cell biology, genetics, or epigenetics are strongly encouraged to apply.
- Candidates with computational biology or artificial intelligence expertise will be given special consideration.
Compensation & Benefits:
- Postdoc compensation and benefits will be according to Yale policies. More information about salaries and other resources can be found at https://postdocs.yale.edu/postdocs.
Apply:
Interested individuals should send the information below to the following:
Ping Mu, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Urology
Yale University
- Brief Cover Letter: Describe your specific interest in the appointment, highlighting relevant skills and experience
- Academic CV or Resume
- Contact Information for 3 References (name, title, phone and email)
Please note that the application deadline is rolling; position will remain open until it is filled.
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