Postdoctoral Fellow in Neurodegenerative Disease Research

Employer:

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
School:
David Geffen School of Medicine
Laboratory: X. William Yang Laboratory
Affiliations:
Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute;
Brain Research Institute

Location:

Los Angeles, California, USA
Position Type:
Full-time Postdoctoral Fellowship
Salary: DOE (Dependent on Experience)
Final date to receive applications: 17 April 2026

The X. William Yang Laboratory at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow to investigate in vivo molecular pathogenic mechanisms underlying Huntington’s disease (HD).

This position offers an exceptional opportunity to join a highly productive, internationally recognized research group that integrates genetics, genomics, systems biology, and cutting-edge neurotechnology to study neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

The Yang Lab has a strong track record of pioneering discoveries and technology development, including:

• Development of widely used human genomic transgenic mouse models of HD
  (Neuron, 2022; J. Neurosci., 2008)
• Systems-level analysis of transcriptomic, epigenomic, and proteomic network dysregulation in HD
  (Nature Neuroscience, 2016; Neuron, 2012)
• Large-scale mouse genetic studies identifying mismatch repair complex genes as drivers of selective neuronal vulnerability via somatic repeat expansion
  (Cell, 2025)
• Identification of neuronal targets of hunting tin lowering to ameliorate HD pathogenesis
  (Nature Medicine, 2014)
• Demonstration of TREM2 boosting as a therapeutic strategy in Alzheimer’s disease
  (Neuron, 2018)
• Development of the MORF method (a “genetic Golgi staining” approach) and advanced imaging and informatics pipelines for whole-brain, single-neuron morphological mapping
  (Neuron, 2020; Nature Neuroscience, 2025)

The lab is also a key contributor to BRAIN Initiative–supported technologies, enabling brain-wide single-neuron mapping and in vivo single-cell genetic perturbations.

The successful candidate will investigate:

• Molecular and genetic mechanisms driving neuronal pathogenesis in Huntington’s disease
• In vivo genetic and genomic perturbations in mouse models
• Translational strategies for therapeutic intervention

• PhD in Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Molecular Genetics, or a closely related field
• Strong motivation to study brain disease and neurodegeneration
• Demonstrated productivity, creativity, independence, and strong work ethic

• Molecular biology (e.g., molecular cloning, omics profiling, viral-based in vivo studies)
• Neuroscience and neurodegenerative disease models

The Yang Lab is embedded within one of the largest and most collaborative neuroscience communities worldwide tdoctoral fellows benefit from:

• Strong mentorship and scientific guidance
• Access to extensive collaborative networks across academia and industry
• Opportunities to lead high-impact projects and publish in top-tier journals
• Exposure to cutting-edge neurogenetic and neurotechnological platforms

UCLA provides a world-class research environment with exceptional infrastructure, interdisciplinary collaboration, and access to a vibrant biomedical ecosystem in Los Angeles. The Semel Institute and Brain Research Institute offer unparalleled resources for neuroscience research and training.

Interested candidates should submit the following materials:

• Statement of research experience and future research goals

Applications should be submitted directly to the Yang Lab (contact details provided upon inquiry or via UCLA recruitment channels).