Postdoc​/Staff Scientist– Biochemistry & Molecular Imaging | Lu Lab @ UIUC

Postdoctoral Researcher – Biochemistry & Molecular Imaging | Lu Lab @ UIUC

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is one of the nation's premier public research universities — ranked among the top 50 globally by Times Higher Education. The Department of Chemistry has been a particularly fertile ground for scientific breakthroughs. It counts 12 Nobel Prize winners among its graduates, postdocs, and faculty — a legacy that spans disciplines and decades. Notable laureates with deep ties to the chemistry department include Paul Lauterbur, whose UIUC research on nuclear magnetic resonance contributed to the MRI technology that earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2003;

E.J. Corey, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1990 for his development of the theory and methodology of organic synthesis during his time on the Illinois faculty; and most recently, Omar Yaghi (Ph.D. '90), awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of metal-organic frameworks. UIUC is also home to the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, one of the country's foremost interdisciplinary research institutes, fostering collaboration across engineering, biology, neuroscience, and the physical sciences.

The Lu Lab operates at the interface of chemistry and neuroscience, developing innovative biochemical tools, advanced microscopy techniques, and computational methods to map and analyze brain circuits in both health and disease. A core focus is on integrating molecular information — including the extraordinary diversity of neuronal proteins and disease-related biomarkers — with connectomic imaging, to build a comprehensive understanding of how brain circuits function and how they are disrupted in neuropsychiatric conditions.

The lab is affiliated with UIUC's Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute, and Neuroscience Program, and offers a uniquely cross-disciplinary training environment.

We are seeking a motivated and creative Postdoctoral Researcher in Biochemistry and Molecular Imaging to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity for researchers who want to develop cutting-edge tools at the chemistry–neuroscience interface and apply them to fundamental questions in brain connectivity.

• Design, engineer, and validate miniaturized protein binders for targeting specific neuronal proteins and disease-relevant biomarkers in complex tissue samples
• Develop and optimize multiplexed molecular labeling protocols compatible with electron microscopy and/or light-electron microscopy workflows
• Prepare and characterize molecular probes
• Adapt and troubleshoot sample preparation pipelines
• Apply advanced light and electron imaging platforms to acquire multiscale structural and molecular data from neural tissue
• Collaborate with computational team members to integrate molecular imaging datasets with connectomic reconstructions and quantitative analysis pipelines
• Contribute to grant reporting, manuscript preparation, and presentation of findings at scientific conferences
• Mentor and support graduate and undergraduate students in experimental techniques and scientific reasoning

Required:

• Ph.D. in biochemistry, chemical biology, biophysics, molecular biology, or a closely related field
• Hands‑on experience with protein engineering, recombinant protein expression, and purification
• Demonstrated experience with fluorescence microscopy or other advanced imaging modalities (EM experience is not required)
• Strong track record of scientific productivity (peer‑reviewed publications)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex data clearly to interdisciplinary audiences