Research Fellow

Research Fellow

The Department of Dermatology is seeking a highly motivated Research Fellow to investigate the molecular mechanisms governing epithelial regulation of immune responses in autoimmune and inflammatory skin disease. Our laboratory studies how keratinocytes orchestrate cutaneous immunity and how dysregulation of these pathways contributes to inflammatory skin diseases such as cutaneous lupus. Current projects integrate mechanistic molecular biology, mouse models, and cutting-edge multiomic analyses of human tissues to uncover epithelial gene regulatory networks and translate these discoveries into novel therapeutic strategies.

The successful candidate will join a dynamic and collaborative research team investigating the mechanisms underlying epithelial inflammation and immune dysregulation. This role includes supervising and training junior laboratory members, including undergraduate students, graduate students, and research staff, in laboratory techniques and safety. The individual will design and perform experiments, analyze and interpret data, perform statistical analyses, prepare presentations, conduct literature reviews, and draft research manuscripts and grant applications.

The candidate should possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, a positive and inquisitive attitude, and strong interpersonal skills. Collaboration with investigators across the University of Michigan and its core facilities, together with clear documentation of research activities, is essential. The successful candidate will have opportunities to develop independent research projects, present and publish their work, and pursue fellowship funding.

Responsibilities include molecular and cellular biology, mammalian cell culture, gene and protein expression analyses, gene perturbation approaches, and mechanistic studies of transcriptional regulation. The successful candidate will also conduct in vivo studies using mouse models of autoimmune skin disease, including tissue collection and phenotypic analyses, and contribute to the development of new experimental approaches. Experience with molecular biology, immunology, mouse models, transcriptional regulation, or genomic approaches is desirable but not required.

The selected candidate must uphold NIH standards and all applicable Federal and State regulations in all aspects of their research activities.

This selected candidate must hold a PhD in biology or a related field within the last 3 years.