Postdoctoral Fellow

Department and Institute

Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Postdoctoral Fellow – a novel NGS-based platform for antibody discovery

Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Antibody Biology Unit

The Antibody Biology Unit in the Laboratory of Immunogenetics, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) aims to discover therapeutic monoclonal antibodies to combat major pathogens, including malaria, TB and infectious viruses. A postdoctoral position is available in the Antibody Biology Unit, headed by Dr. Joshua Tan, to establish a novel antibody discovery platform using next-generation sequencing, microfluidics, and library display.

Monoclonal antibodies are powerful tools for the treatment of infectious and immunological disease. The Tan lab has recently identified rare monoclonal antibodies that target the malaria parasite (Dacon et al., Science 2025; Wang et al., Cell 2024), and broadly neutralizing antibodies against coronaviruses (Dacon et al., Science 2022) that are lead candidates for clinical development. However, even the most advanced current methods for antibody discovery are labor‑ and time-intensive.

Recent advances in library display, microfluidics and next‑generation sequencing have provided the tools to construct large‑scale antibody panels that can be screened at will for potent neutralizing antibodies against any target of interest. However, this potential has not yet been realized with the construction of a workable platform that fully utilizes these developments. This project aims to use advances in these fields to develop a new method of antibody discovery that is substantially faster than existing methods.

This position is ideal for a candidate with a strong genome sciences or molecular biology background who is interested in making a real‑world impact on how we prevent and treat disease. The NIH Intramural program also provides excellent training and career development opportunities.

• Ph.D. in a relevant field (genome sciences, molecular biology, or biochemistry)
• Experience in next‑generation sequencing, including barcode demultiplexing and association with protein variants
• Experience in bioinformatics, particularly in analysis of complex genetic datasets
• Track record of scientific publications
• Collaborative and willing to work as part of a team

Trainees will receive health insurance as well as a stipend commensurate with experience.

Appointees may be a US citizen, Legal Permanent Resident or non-US citizen (visa requirements apply).

Interested candidates should send the following to Joshua Tan, Ph.D., Chief, Antibody Biology Unit, NIAID, NIH at tanj4:

• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Three letters of reference

DHHS and NIH are equal opportunity employers. Visit NIH Equal Employment Opportunity site for more information.