Postdoctoral Fellow

Position Summary

The Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Immunology at Morehouse School of Medicine is seeking a highly motivated and talented Postdoctoral Fellow to join the laboratory of Dr. Erica L. Johnson. The selected candidate will contribute to an NIH-funded research program focused on placental organoid development and translational studies examining placental dysfunction, inflammation, and maternal-fetal health in pregnancies affected by HIV, antiretroviral therapy (ART), and substance use.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will play a central role in establishing, optimizing, and applying placental organoid and trophoblast-based models to investigate mechanisms of placental inflammation, barrier integrity, immune signaling, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The ideal candidate will hold a doctoral degree and have strong training in placental biology, reproductive biology, developmental biology, immunology, molecular biology, stem cell biology, organoid culture, virology, pharmacology, or related disciplines.

Candidates must demonstrate research productivity, scientific rigor, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.

• PhD, MD/PhD, or equivalent doctoral degree in developmental biology, reproductive biology, immunology, molecular biology, stem cell biology, pharmacology, virology, or a related biomedical field.
• Prior experience in molecular and cellular biology.
• Ability to work with human blood, placental tissue, and potentially infectious materials in accordance with institutional biosafety procedures and required safety training.
• Willingness to take appropriate precautions and receive required immunizations related to potentially hazardous agents, as applicable.

• Experience with placental biology, trophoblast biology, maternal-fetal immunology, reproductive health, or pregnancy-related research.
• Experience developing, maintaining, or characterizing organoids, stem-cell-derived models, primary cells, placental explants, or trophoblast cell culture systems.
• Experience with human tissue processing, biobanking, and clinical specimen management.
• Proficiency in qPCR, Western blotting, ELISA, Luminex, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence microscopy, histology, cytokine analysis, and/or RNA sequencing.
• Familiarity with HIV, ART exposure, substance use research, placental inflammation, or drug transporter biology.
• Experience with transcriptomic, spatial biology, or bioinformatic analyses is strongly preferred.
• Prior mentoring or training experience with students or laboratory trainees.

• Lead the development, optimization, validation, and maintenance of placental organoid and trophoblast-based models for studies of placental function, inflammation, and maternal-fetal immune interactions.
• Design and conduct experiments evaluating the effects of HIV, ART exposure, cocaine, cannabinoids, and related inflammatory exposures on placental organoid biology and trophoblast function.
• Independently perform a wide range of highly technical and complex research and experiments at the request of the principal investigator.
• Receive, process, aliquot, inventory, and maintain human placental and blood specimens. This work may occasionally require non-standard hours to accommodate clinical collections.
• Maintain complete and accurate laboratory records, organoid inventories, specimen tracking systems, protocols, and quality-control documentation.
• Collaborate and synergize with other members of the lab to promote lab synergies.
• Provide expertise and work collaboratively on other projects in the laboratory, as assigned.
• Compile, analyze, interpret, and visualize experimental and clinical data for manuscripts, grant reports, presentations, abstracts, and scientific meetings.
• Contribute to manuscripts, grant applications, progress reports, standard operating procedures, protocols, and regulatory documentation.
• Review literature for related research developments and techniques.
• Present findings at laboratory meetings, institutional seminars, scientific conferences, and collaborative project meetings.
• Mentor and train graduate students and other learners.
• Apply for fellowship, career-development, and independent funding opportunities to support training and progression toward research independence.