Postdoctoral Position in Visual Science at The Wilmer Eye Institute

Position overview and research focus

A postdoctoral position is currently available in the Laboratory of Dr. Carlo Iomini at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, to study the development, tissue regeneration, and conditions of the mammalian eye's anterior segment and ocular adnexa. The Iomini's Lab uses a holistic approach, including mouse genetics, advanced microscopy, genomics (Single-Cell RNA-seq), and biochemistry to study signal transduction pathways altered in anterior segment dysgenesis and dry eye disease. We seek a driven Postdoctoral Fellow to join our vibrant team within the Wilmer Eye Institute, a cutting-edge working environment voted the #1 Best Overall and Research ophthalmology program in the country. This fully and stably NIH-funded position presents a unique opportunity to uncover the critical aspects of the pathogenesis of diseases of the anterior segment of the eye and ocular adnexa, encompassing anterior segment dysgenesis, glaucoma, myopia, and dry eye disease.

Responsibilities: 

Candidates with a recent/expected Ph.D. should have a strong background and technical skills in developmental, cell, and molecular biology, omics, microscopy and mammalian cell culture. Experience with lentiviral technologyand interest in computational data analysis is desired. The successful candidate will have the following responsibilities.

• Utilizing high-throughput genomic techniques (e.g., RNA sequencing, single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics) to identify critical genes and pathways involved in developing the anterior segment and ocular adnexa.
• Employing animal models and imaging to study the functional consequences of mutations in genes causing human conditions of the anterior segment.
• Confocal and multiphoton microscopy of immunohistochemical studies of explanted mouse or human ocular tissues.
• Preparing and maintaining human cell cultures stem cells; purifying, characterizing and cryopreserving cells, managing/organizing cell inventories for lines from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
• Collaborating with team members to interpret data, generate hypotheses, and design follow-up experiments. Contributing to publishing research findings in peer-reviewed journals and presenting results at conferences and seminars.

Qualifications: 

Candidates should have a Ph.D. degree or equivalent in biomedicine or related fields such as developmental, cell, and molecular biology, less than four years of postdoctoral training, and one or more first-author peer-reviewed academic paper(s) in development, cell, or molecular biology, ophthalmology or related fields. The starting salary is US $62,500 per year plus benefits. Successful applicants will have the following qualifications.

• Strong background in developmental, cell, and molecular biology.
• Proficiency in working with animal models, particularly in the context of development or visual science.
• Experience with high-throughput genomic techniques and data analysis is highly desirable.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.
• Excellent communication skills and a track record of scientific productivity (publications, conference presentations).

For more information, please review our selected publications, which include Portal et al., Commun Biol 2023, Portal et al. IOVS 2022, Portal et al. eLife 2019, Vuong et al., Nat Commun 2018, and Grisanti et al. Development 2016.

Application Process: 

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter describing their past research accomplishments, future researchinterests and career goals, a current CV with a list of publications, and contact information for three references to Dr. Carlo Iomini (ciomini1@jhmi.edu). Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Employer Name: Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Location: Baltimore, MD, USA

Disclaimer: Johns Hopkins University is an equal-opportunity employer; only job-related qualifications are required.