Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Overview

Located in North Carolina’s third largest city, UNC Greensboro is among the most diverse, learner-centered public research universities in the state, with 18,000 students in eight colleges and schools pursuing more than 150 areas of undergraduate and over 200 areas of graduate study. UNCG is recognized nationally for academic excellence, access, and affordability. It is ranked No. 1 most affordable institution in North Carolina for net cost by The New York Times and No.

1 in North Carolina for social mobility by The Wall Street Journal. UNCG is designated an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and is a community-engaged research institution with a portfolio of more than $67M in research and creative activity. The University’s 2,600 staff help create an annual economic impact for the Piedmont Triad region in excess of $1B.

Primary Purpose of the Organizational Unit

The mission of the Nanoscience department is to prepare students from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds to conduct basic and advanced research in Nanoscience in industrial, governmental or academic settings. The Nanoscience Department provides a graduate-level trans-disciplinary educational and discovery research experience in the nanosciences, sustainable nanosystems, innovation and community-engaged outreach. It also works collaboratively with the Nanoengineering Department to achieve an integrated foundational research program in emerging high impact areas.

Scientists in this field seek to comprehend, gather and organize knowledge of the nanoworld through careful observations and creative thinking. Nanoscience is a multidisciplinary field integrating mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, and related disciplines. Nanoscience emphasizes manipulation of materials at atomic, molecular and macromolecular scales with a broad scientific toolkit.

Position Summary

The Wu Lab at the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN), University of North Carolina Greensboro, is seeking a motivated postdoctoral researcher to join our interdisciplinary team. Our lab integrates molecular and cellular biology, synthetic biology, biomedical engineering, and microphysiological systems to study and modulate complex biological processes. We investigate molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive disease development and progression, including cancer, inflammation, and immune dysregulation, and leverage these insights to create innovative diagnostic and therapeutic platforms.

The lab is supported by multiple federal and state-funded awards, including DoD CDMRP, NSF, USDA, NCInnovation, NC Biotech.

Our research directions include, but are not limited to:

• Engineering synthetic cell systems for precise cellular regulation.
• Using CRISPR / Cas technologies to identify disease drivers and new bioengineering targets.
• Developing nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems for targeted therapy.
• Building advanced microphysiological platforms, including organ-on-a-chip systems and organoid models.

We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher who will play an integral role in advancing the lab’s multidisciplinary research program.

Key responsibilities include:

• Designing, performing, and analyzing experiments aligned with the lab’s research directions in nanomedicine, synthetic biology, biomedical engineering, and disease-mechanism studies.
• Preparing manuscripts, figures, and presentations, and contributing to grant proposals.
• Training and mentoring graduate and undergraduate students, including guidance in experimental design, troubleshooting, and scientific communication.
• Collaborating with lab members and external partners to support team-based scientific discovery.
• Helping maintain a productive, organized, and inclusive laboratory environment.

• Ph.D. in Biology, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Immunology, Molecular/Cell Biology, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
• Strong experimental skills in biological, biomedical, or bioengineering research.
• Demonstrated ability to design experiments, analyze data, and troubleshoot independently.
• Record of scientific…