Title of Position: Postgraduate Associate – Koh Lab
Department and School: Yale Stem Cell Center, Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine
Email/Website: bongihn.koh@yale.edu |https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/bongihn-koh/
Introduction to the School/Department
The newly established Koh Lab at the Yale Stem Cell Center and in the Department of Comparative Medicine at Yale School of Medicine is seeking a motivated Postgraduate Associate to conduct research in the field of hematopoietic stem cell niche biology and vascular biology. This position is ideal for recent college graduates looking for a full-time research experience before pursuing graduate or medical school training.
The bone marrow (BM) microenvironment is a critical regulator of hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal and fate. The human skull is composed of 8 cranial and 14 facial bones. Whether distinct BM compartments within these bones are molecularly, cellularly and functionally specialized to perform specific immunological roles in general physiology is unknown.
The Koh Lab investigates specialized stem cell microenvironments, with a particular focus on vasculature, in various craniofacial bones to find novel cellular/molecular targets to drive stem cell fate. We utilize state-of-the-art imaging methods and innovative functional assays (Koh et al., Nature, 2024) to explore novel bone marrow niches and understand their distinct contribution to fundamental physiological processes, such as brain function, immunity, and regeneration. This work has the great potential to fundamentally impact the way we think about bone marrow heterogeneity and cranial tissue-specific immunological/physiological functions. Key findings from the Koh Lab may thus lead to novel therapeutic strategies against bone marrow aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and leukemia. We are looking for candidates who are excited and passionate about stem cell microenvironments, immunolog,y and blood vessels.
Education
This position offers the postgraduate candidate a unique opportunity to acquire both technical skills and conceptual knowledge that will benefit them in their future career plans. The candidate will learn a wide range of in vivo and in vitro experimental methods and become familiar with leading concepts in stem cell niche/vascular biology.
Training
The candidate will perform biomedical research, contributing to daily laboratory experiments and analyzing/interpreting data. The candidate will gain extensive experience in utilizing various genetically-engineered mouse models, whole-tissue confocal microscopy, flow cytometry and molecular biology. Training in experimental design, critical interpretation of data and scientific communication will also be provided. It is our goal to provide enough training for the candidate to significantly contribute to a publication as co-author, both in terms of intellectual and epxerimental input.
Mentoring
The trainee will be directly mentored by the principal investigator Bong-Ihn Koh for personalized scientific and career development. Mentorship will include close hands-on training of all experimental methods, regular one-on-one meetings to strategize and discuss progress, participation in lab meetings, and attendance at numerous seminars. The trainee will also learn from/teach other lab members to promote teamwork, broaden expertise, and enhance scientific communication skills.
Duration
The appointment will be for 1 year with the possibility (and preference) of a second-year extension.
Qualifications
• Minimum of a B.A./B.S. required.
• Strong curiosity and passionate excitement for biomedical research
• Collaborative mind and strong communication skills
• Pro-active approach to problem-solving and exceptional work ethic
• Willingness to work with mice (prior lab experience working with mice is strongly desired but not required)
Application Instructions
Interested candidates should contact Dr. Bong-Ihn Koh at bongihn.koh@yale.edu. The application should include:
• Cover letter describing research experience, research interests, future career plans, and preferred start date
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Contact information for 2-3 references
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.