Postdoctoral Fellow - Dr. Thales Papagiannakopoulos

Postdoctoral Fellow - Dr. Thales Papagiannakopoulos

Job Category: Postdoctoral

Requisition Number: POSTD
002749

• Posted:
  April 24, 2026
• Full‑Time

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The Papagiannakopoulos (PapaG) Laboratory is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to join an interdisciplinary research program focused on how cancer communicates with the nervous system and the rest of the body.

Our lab studies how aggressive cancers such as lung cancer reshape organismal physiology, behavior, metabolism, and anti‑tumor immunity. We use a broad range of approaches including genetically engineered mouse models, in vivo CRISPR-based functional genomics, tumor immunology, metabolism, and physiology, and we are expanding into new directions at the intersection of cancer and the nervous system. We are particularly interested in how tumors are sensed by the host, how neural circuits respond to cancer, and how these interactions influence symptoms, immune responses, and disease progression.

This funded position will be part of Intero

CANCEption, a newly funded Cancer Grand Challenge team addressing the emerging frontier of how the brain and nervous system sense and influence cancer. The fellow will have the opportunity to contribute to an ambitious international effort aimed at understanding the brain‑body‑tumor axis and its role in cancer progression and host physiology.

This position is ideal for candidates with an MD or PhD and a background in neuroscience, immunology, cancer biology, or related fields who are excited to apply neuroscience approaches to fundamental questions in cancer biology.

• Neural sensing and control of tumor-associated inflammation and anti‑tumor immunity
• Brain‑body circuits regulating sickness, appetite, pain, and systemic metabolism in cancer
• Development of new experimental models at the interface of cancer biology and neuroscience

This position provides a highly supportive training environment for scientists interested in pursuing independent careers in academia, biotechnology, or translational cancer research, with strong mentorship and opportunities to develop leadership, grant writing, and collaborative research skills.

• Ph.D. in neuroscience, immunology, cancer biology, or related fields who are excited to apply neuroscience approaches to fundamental questions in cancer biology.

The full postdoctoral salary range for wet lab opportunities is $70,500–$78,000 (see below). This range covers the entire postdoctoral training period; recent Ph.D. graduates should expect an offer at or close to $70,500 (minimum of the salary range). Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Experience Level/Tier Salk Postdoc Salary

0 $ 70,500

1 $ 72,000

2 $ 73,500

3 $ 75,000

4 $ 76,500

5 $ 78,000

Salk Institute offers competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, patient advocacy services, and transit/parking program.

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal access to opportunities for students, employees, applicants for employment and other visitors. Salk has also adopted and maintained a policy to encourage professional and respectful workplace behavior and prevent discriminatory and harassing conduct in our workplace.

Accordingly, the Institute prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment on the basis of, and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to, actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, age, sex, reproductive health decision making, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, veteran status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.

Discrimination is prohibited with any intersectionality of the above characteristics, including any combination of characteristics, a perception that the person has any of the characteristics or any combination of those characteristics, a perception that the person is associated with a person who has, or is perceived to have, any of those characteristics or any combination of those characteristics.

Equal Opportunity Employer.