Duke University Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases

The Surana lab has just started at Duke University School of Medicine, and we are looking for energetic and motivated postdoctoral fellows that are interested in understanding the mechanisms underlying host–commensal–immune interactions. The Surana laboratory innovatively integrates gnotobiotic mouse models, microbiology, immunology, and bioinformatics to tackle medically relevant questions. We have recently developed a novel approach of microbe–phenotype triangulation that facilitates identification of specific bacteria within the microbiota that are causally related to a phenotype of interest (Surana and Kasper. Nature. 2017; 552: 244–247). In the course of this work, we identified a new bacterial species that protects against colitis as well as several organisms that induce host expression of a critical antimicrobial peptide. Ongoing work in the laboratory is focused on understanding these host–bacterial interactions from both the host (i.e., elucidating the immunological mechanism) and bacterial perspectives (i.e., identifying the necessary bacterial factors). There are also additional projects available that use already collected human samples to explore the role of the microbiome in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis.

Position Requirements:

M.D. and/or Ph.D. (or equivalent) in biomedical sciences with a strong publication record
Keen interest in host–commensal interactions
Robust background in at least one of the following areas: microbiology, immunology, and/or bioinformatics
Strong communication (oral and written English) and organizational skills
Capable of driving projects forward while also being supportive of other team members
Willingness to work with mice, with prior experience being beneficial

If interested, please send a statement of research interests, CV, and names of 3 references to neil.surana@duke.edu.

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