Postdoctoral Researcher, Translational Human Reproductive Biology

Faculty Mentor: Kathleen O’Neill MD MSTR Department: OBGYN Research Funding Source Type: PI Grant Number of Positions: 1 Candidates requiring visa sponsorship are welcome to apply.

The O'Neill Lab in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine seeks a Postdoctoral Researcher to join a translational research program focused on the female reproductive tract. Our overarching goal is to understand the cellular and molecular basis of implantation, endometrial regeneration, and gynecologic disease, and to translate those discoveries into new therapies for infertility and other disorders of women's health.

The lab works almost exclusively in human systems. Ongoing projects include: molecular mapping of the healthy female reproductive tract as a Tissue Mapping Center within the NIH HuBMAP Consortium, using single-cell and spatial approaches (10x Multiome, Visium) and multiplexed imaging (CODEX); development of lipid nanoparticle and mRNA therapeutics for reproductive disorders in collaboration with the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation, including a vaginally administered mRNA-LNP therapeutic to reduce heavy menstrual bleeding as part of the Wellcome Leap “The Missed Vital Sign” program, which seeks precise, non-hormonal treatments that can be self-administered without surgery or suppression of the menstrual cycle;

mapping the surface proteome of endometrial cell populations; and studies of endometrial regeneration and pregnancy immunology in recipients of the Penn UNTIL uterus transplant trial. In vitro human models, including patient-derived endometrial organoids, are central to this work.

The Postdoctoral Researcher will take primary intellectual and technical ownership of a project within these areas, with the expectation of shaping its direction over time and building toward an independent research program. This is a highly collaborative environment: the lab includes a research assistant, rotating REI fellows, OB/GYN residents, graduate and medical students, and undergraduates, and works closely with clinical teams, engineering and RNA biology groups at Penn, and external scientific collaborators.

We place real value on a positive, generous lab culture and on training that is responsive to each person's goals. The successful candidate will be someone who takes initiative, is comfortable troubleshooting and optimizing protocols independently, reaches out across institutions to learn a technique or start a collaboration, and contributes to the scientific and social health of the group.

• Design, execute, and independently troubleshoot experiments using primary human reproductive tract tissue and patient-derived organoid models.
• Maintain and expand primary and organoid culture systems, including derivation, passaging, differentiation, treatment experiments, and quality control.
• Perform core molecular assays, including RNA and DNA extraction, RT-qPCR, protein assays, and sample preparation for bulk, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomics.
• Perform and optimize tissue-based imaging, including IHC and immunofluorescence on FFPE and frozen human tissue, and multiplexed or multicyclic imaging platforms such as CODEX.
• Analyze, quantify, and interpret imaging and sequencing data; work with computational collaborators to move analyses forward and to interrogate published and consortium datasets.
• Maintain rigorous, organized, and reproducible documentation of protocols, experiments, and data; contribute to lab-wide standard operating procedures.
• Coordinate with clinical teams and study coordinators on human tissue acquisition and processing, in strict adherence to IRB-approved protocols and specimen handling requirements.
• Prepare figures, manuscripts, abstracts, and presentations; present work at lab meetings, institutional forums, and national scientific meetings.
• Contribute to grant applications, progress reports, and consortium deliverables, and pursue individual fellowship or career development funding (for example F32, K99/R00, or foundation awards).
• Establish and maintain…