Postdoctoral Research Associate - Host Microbe Interactions; Kumar Lab

A Postdoctoral Research Associate position is available in the Kumar Laboratory within the Department of Host-Microbe Interactions e Children's Research Hospital.

The Kumar Lab investigates how xenobiotics (medications, dietary compounds) and host immune factors remodel the gut microbiome to alter intestinal homeostasis. We integrate clinical and high-throughput omics datasets with mechanistic molecular microbiology, anaerobic culturomics, and gnotobiotic animal models to dissect how microbiome alterations govern susceptibility to infectious and non-infectious gastrointestinal diseases.

See our recent publication:
Kumar et al. Nature, 644, 506-515 (2025)

We are seeking an ambitious, highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to drive foundational research projects at the intersection of drug-microbiome-immune interactions. The ideal candidate will take high intellectual ownership of primary research initiatives, master and execute sophisticated experimental workflows across molecular microbiology and in vivo modeling, and work closely with the PI to build scientific independence and establish a high-impact publication record.

• Lead Research Projects: Design and execute mechanistic and translational studies investigating drug-microbiome-immune interactions.
• Develop Scientific Independence: Prepare high-impact primary research manuscripts and develop competitive postdoctoral fellowship/training grant applications.
• Innovate Methodologies: Establish and optimize cutting-edge experimental protocols across anaerobic bacteriology, bacterial genetics, and animal models of infection/immunity.
• Mentorship &
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Mentor undergraduate and graduate rotation students and collaborate actively with investigators across the department and the broader St. Jude research community.
• Institutional Engagement: Actively participate in departmental seminar series, multi-lab work-in-progress meetings, and institutional career development programs.

Ph.D. in Microbiology, or a related biomedical discipline is required.

Required skills include experience with working with bacterial communities/pathogens as well as experience with bacterial genetic manipulation and animal models of infection. Clear demonstration of a track record of research productivity and communication skills in terms of manuscripts published during graduate work is needed. The preferred candidate will have experience in animal models of infection/immunity, anaerobic bacteriology, or computational/microbiome data analysis (familiarity with R/python).

• Close, regular guidance in experimental design, high-impact manuscript preparation, grant writing, and personalized career strategy.
• High intellectual freedom to lead foundational, visible projects with clear paths to first-author publications.
• Hands-on experience in establishing new models, protocols, and mentoring junior trainees - ideal preparation for independent academic faculty or industry careers.

• Dissecting drug-microbiome-pathogen interactions and microbial xenobiotic metabolism.
• Genetic manipulation and functional genomics (e.g., transposon mutagenesis) of commensal and enteric pathogens.
• Anaerobic microbiology, culturomics, and synthetic community reconstruction.
• High-throughput sequencing and microbiome data analysis
• Gnotobiotic, germ-free, and conventional mouse models of enteric challenge and mucosal inflammation.
• Intestinal organoid cultures and mucosal barrier assays.

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