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Post : Postdoctoral Fellow – Dissecting the role of inflammasome activation in MDS
Job Description
This three-year fellowship offers a unique opportunity to conduct high-impact fundamental research within a premier industrial setting. You will investigate the complex interplay between chronic inflammation and Myeloid Dysplastic Syndrome (MDS), aiming to uncover novel mechanisms that drive disease progression and therapeutic resistance.
This project is supported by the Hematology R&D Small Molecular Discovery group of AstraZeneca that works across areas from early-stage drug discovery to late-stage clinical development. You will receive support from the AZ’s Bioinformatics Group and Sequencing Core to dissect the inflammasome-driven mechanisms underlying MDS development and translate these insights into transformative drug discovery efforts to deliver better therapies to patients.
Candidate Profile
This project will explore inflammasome-targeted strategies in MDS through in vitro and in vivo studies to enable novel drug development. The Postdoctoral Fellow will partner with cross-functional AZ scientists and closely aligned academic mentors to build advanced models, identify new targets and optimize therapeutics for improved efficacy and safety.
Your research will focus on how inflammatory signaling affects MDS cells both intrinsically and extrinsically. You will be at the forefront of :
• Characterizing inflammatory drivers of clonal evolution in MDS.
• Use innovative approaches to define how targeting inflammatory pathways alters myeloid signaling and disease biology in MDS cells.
• Translating bench-side discoveries into actionable therapeutic strategies.
The Postdoc role will report to Haiming Xu (Associate Principal Scientist), and be supported by Ye Xu (Associate Principal Scientist) and Sungmi Park-Chouinard (Associate Director) at AstraZeneca. Additionally, you'll also receive mentorship and guidance from exceptional academic mentors, Stephanie Halene, M.D., Arthur H. and Isabel Bunker Professor of Hematology, Yale University School of Medicine; Richard Flavell, PhD, FRS., Stering Professor of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine; and Gabriel Ghiaur, MD, PhD., Associate Professor of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine during the 3-year program.
Our Postdoctoral Fellow will investigate the role of inflammatory signaling in the pathogenesis and progression of MDS, focusing on both cell-intrinsic mechanisms and microenvironment-mediated effects.
Key Duties & Responsibilities :
• Develop and implement advanced in vitro and ex vivo assays to characterize inflammasome-mediated signaling pathways and their impact on myeloid cell differentiation.
• Collaborate with academic partners to assess disease kinetics and therapeutic efficacy in in vivo MDS patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models.
• Perform comprehensive integrative analysis of multi-omics datasets, including single-cell RNA sequencing, clonal barcode sequencing, and high-dimensional flow cytometry.
• Publish findings in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and present at international conferences.
Candidate Profile
• Candidates must be within four years of receiving their doctoral degree (PhD or DVM), with the PhD already awarded; or
• Candidates who are nearing completion of their doctoral degree are eligible, provided the PhD is conferred within six months of joining AstraZeneca.
• Demonstrated expertise in inflammation biology, hematologic malignancies, or myeloid disease research.
• Education: Ph.D. in Immunology, Hematology, Cancer Biology, Molecular or Cell Biology, or a related field.
• In vivo expertise: Proven hands-on experience with MDS or AML PDX models, including tail-vein injections, bone marrow aspirates, and longitudinal monitoring of engraftment.
• In vitro Expertise: Deep technical proficiency in primary cell culture, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, functional immune assays and flow cytometry, biochemical assays, and imaging techniques.
• Proficient in working closely with bioinformaticians to drive integrative multi-omics data interpretation.
• Scientific Rigor: A strong track record of first-author publications in reputable journals.
• Communication: Excellent English communication skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• 0-4 years of working experience
About our PostDoc Program
Bring your expertise, apply your knowledge, follow the science, and make a difference. AstraZeneca’s Postdoc Program is for self-motivated individuals looking to deliver exciting projects in an encouraging, engaging, and innovative environment.
You will work in an industry-leading group to explore how inflammatory pathway activation drives the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). This is an exciting opportunity to work at the interface of innovative science and translational drug discovery, where mechanistic insights directly inform the development of novel therapeutics for patients with hematologic malignancies. You will employ pioneering technologies while collaborating with leading experts in inflammation biology, translational oncology, bioinformatics, and medicinal chemistry. This position offers early-career scientists unparalleled exposure to the full drug discovery pipeline, hands-on experience with advanced platforms and cross-functional teams, strong mentorship from industry and academic leaders, and the opportunity to generate impactful publications while contributing to programs that advance toward the clinic.
Compensation for this role, based on years of experience after obtaining PhD, is a minimum of USD 103,079 up to a maximum of USD 123,694 + short-term incentive. Some relocation supplements depend on distance and location at the employer's discretion.
Additional Information
Experience : 0-4 years
Qualification : PhD or DVM
Location : Waltham - MA
Industry Type : Pharma
Functional Area : Dissecting the role of inflammasome activation in MDS
End Date : April 1, 2026
Postdoctoral Fellow : Apply Online
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