Post Doctoral Fellow A - 10213000-SOM Institute For Genome Sciences

Job Description

The research groups of Dr. Bing Ma at the Center for Advanced
Microbiome Research & Innovation (CAMRI), Institute for Genome
Sciences (IGS), Department of Microbiology and Immunology (MMI),
and Dr. Jonathan Bromberg at the Department of Surgery and MMI,
University of Maryland School of Medicine seek applicants for a
postdoctoral scholar position. The fellow will be co-mentored by
Drs. Ma and Bromberg and will work at the interface of
microbiology, microbiome science, host–microbe interactions,
immunology, and translational therapeutics .

Responsibilities

Qualified candidates will be enthusiastic, highly motivated, and
interested in understanding how gut microorganisms influence host
physiology and disease and in developing microbiome-based
therapeutic strategies. The research will focus on 1) how chronic
immunosuppressive therapies reshape the gut microbiome and
microbial metabolic functions; 2) how specific microorganisms and
microbiome-derived metabolites interact with host immune and tissue
responses to influence transplant outcomes; and 3) discovery,
mechanistic characterization, and preclinical development of
beneficial microbes, probiotics, defined microbial consortia, and
postbiotics to restore host–microbiome homeostasis and improve
clinical outcomes.

A major emphasis of the position will be experimental and
mechanistic microbiology. We have a strong preference for
microbiologists with experience in microbial cultivation and
working knowledge in computational analysis of omics data or,
equally, computational biologists/statisticians with a deep
appreciation of microbiology, microbial physiology, and biological
mechanisms. Projects may involve isolation and cultivation of
anaerobic gut microorganisms, strain-level phenotyping, microbial
physiology and metabolism, host–microbe interaction studies,
manipulation of microbial communities, and functional evaluation of
candidate probiotic strains and microbial metabolites in cellular
and animal models. The fellow will have opportunities to translate
discoveries from human cohorts into experimentally testable
microbial interventions and to investigate their mechanisms of
action.

The program combines microbial cultivation, molecular microbiology,
immunology, metabolomics, and animal models with genomic and
multi-omics technologies. Depending on the project, approaches may
include microbial genome sequencing, metagenomics, metabolomics,
transcriptomics, single-cell or spatial profiling, and
computational analysis. These technologies will be used primarily
to identify microbial functions, define mechanisms of probiotic or
postbiotic activity, and guide development of microbiome-directed
therapeutics.

The ideal applicant is expected to:

• have experience with or a strong interest in anaerobic

microbial cultivation, isolation and characterization of gut
microorganisms, bacterial physiology, and experimental manipulation
of microbial communities ;

• have a strong foundation in microbiology, microbial physiology,

molecular biology, microbial ecology, or host–microbe interactions
;

• be interested in the development and functional

characterization of probiotics, commensal microorganisms, microbial
consortia, or microbiome-derived metabolites as therapeutic
candidates;

• conduct mechanistic studies using microbial culture systems,

molecular approaches, host-cell assays, and/or animal models;

• possess a working knowledge of genomic sciences, sequencing

technologies, and microbiome and multi-omics analyses, including
microbial genomics, metagenomics, metabolomics, and
transcriptomics; experience with computational analysis of such
data is advantageous but not required as the primary area of
expertise ( training in relevant analytical approaches will be
available);

• lead research projects from experimental design and microbial

cultivation through functional validation, data interpretation,
presentation, and publication;

• work effectively both independently and within a

multidisciplinary team spanning microbiology, immunology,
transplantation, genomics, and translational research.

The successful candidate will join a highly interactive research
environment with extensive expertise and infrastructure for
microbiology, immunology, multi-omics, computational biology, and
preclinical therapeutic development . The position provides a
particular opportunity for a scientist interested in moving from
fundamental microbial biology toward mechanism-based probiotic and
microbiome therapeutics .

Qualifications

Doctoral degree in Microbiology, Immunology, Molecular Biology,
Genetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Systems
Biology, or a related field.

Additional inquiries about the position can be sent to Drs. Bing Ma
( bma@som.umaryland.edu
) and Jonathan Bromberg ( jbromberg@som.umaryland.edu
).

Interested applicants should submit a CV, a statement of research
interests (2 pages maximum), and contact information for three
references.

Consideration of candidates will begin upon receipt of applications
and will continue until the position is filled.

About Us

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is Maryland’s public
health, law, and human services university. Six professional
schools and the interdisciplinary Graduate School confer the
majority of health care, human services, and law professional
degrees in Maryland each year.

Our goal is to support the University’s mission of education,
research, clinical care, and public service by amplifying UMB’s
voice as a thought and action leader, and to enhance goodwill in
the communities and people with whom we engage. UMB is a public
university and constituent institution of the University System of
Maryland. All employees are expected to work primarily physically
within the State of Maryland.

UMB is committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce
and is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All
qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment
without regard to race, color, religion, age, ancestry or national
origin, sex, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation,
gender identity or expression, genetic information, physical or
mental disability, marital status, protected veteran's status, or
any other legally protected classification.

If you anticipate needing a reasonable accommodation for a
disability under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), during
any part of the employment process, please submit a UMB Job Applicant Accommodation Request . You
may also contact HRDiversity@umaryland.edu. Please note that only
inquiries concerning an ADA request for reasonable accommodation
will be responded to from this email address.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore prohibits sex discrimination
in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals
may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. Read
the UMB Notice of Non-Discrimination for more
information.

UMB is a public university and constituent institution of the
University System of Maryland. All employees are expected to work
primarily physically within the State of Maryland. Regular and contractual employee are eligible for a
comprehensive benefits package

About the Team

The University of Maryland School of Medicine (SOM) was chartered
in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It
continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical
research enterprises in the world. SOM is dedicated to providing
excellence in biomedical education, basic and clinical research,
quality patient care and service to improve the health of the
citizens of Maryland and beyond.