Research Postdoctoral Fellow - Sgourakis Lab

Postdoctoral Fellow

The Sgourakis Lab at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to join our NIH-funded research program studying the structural basis of small-molecule and peptide recognition by MHC-I and MHC-I-related proteins (MR1), and their interactions with molecular chaperones and T cell receptors.

Our lab uses an integrative structural biology approach – combining solution NMR spectroscopy, protein engineering, biophysics, and computational modeling – to understand how immune receptors recognize diverse ligands and signal cellular states. Recent work from the lab includes the development of miniaturized, native-like protein platforms (e.g., SMART-MR1) that expand the toolkit available for studying antigen presentation and TCR recognition by NMR and structural methods.

This position will focus on applying and extending our recombinant protein engineering and solution NMR platforms to characterize ligand- and chaperone-dependent conformational dynamics of MR1 and related receptors. Responsibilities will include:

• Recombinant protein expression, in vitro refolding, and biophysical characterization (DSF, SEC, ITC, SPR, fluorescence polarization) of MHC-I/MR1 constructs
• Solution NMR sample preparation, isotopic labeling, and data acquisition (backbone and methyl-based experiments)
• Collaborative structural and mechanistic studies of chaperone-mediated ligand exchange
• Manuscript preparation and contribution to grant-funded research objectives

What you will do:

• Conduct independent scholarly research and develop new methods and protocols
• Participate in project planning, recording and evaluation of data
• Acquire technical, lab management and grant writing skills
• Participate in seminars, lectures, poster sessions and presentation at national meetings
• Supervise junior lab members
• Assist with other research projects

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Biophysics, Structural Biology, Immunology, or a related field
• Hands-on experience with recombinant protein expression/purification and biophysical assays
• Experience with solution NMR (sample preparation and/or data analysis) strongly preferred
• Strong record of scientific writing and communication, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment

Environment:

The lab is based in the Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine at CHOP, with primary faculty appointment in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania. Trainees have access to state-of-the-art NMR (600/800 MHz), biophysics, and cryo-EM facilities, and close collaborations across CHOP and Penn in structural biology, immunology, and cell and gene therapy.

Selected Publications:

• McShan A.C., Devlin
  
  C., Papadaki G.F., Sun Y., Green A.I., Morozov G.I., Burslem G.M., Procko
  
  E., Sgourakis N.G. TAPBPR employs a ligand-independent docking mechanism to chaperone MR1 molecules. Nature Chemical Biology 18(8):859–868 (2022).
• Rotsides P., Shinde O., Danon J.N., Sgourakis N.G. A miniaturized MR1 metabolite display system with native-like protein features. eLife 2026;15:
  
  RP111511.

Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to wear a respirator device

Salary Range:

$20,800.00 - $ Annually

Salary ranges are shown for full-time jobs. If you're working part-time, your pay will be adjusted accordingly. Factors such as skills and experience could result in an offer above the salary range noted in this job posting. For more information regarding CHOP's Compensation and Benefits, .