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Job Title

Postdoctoral Fellow – Lily Wang Lab

Location

Cleveland

Facility

Cleveland Clinic Main Campus

Department

Job Code

X1004

Shift

Variable

Schedule

12:00am-12:00am

Job Summary

Highly motivated individuals with a PhD or MD/PhD in relevant area are encouraged to apply. This training position, under the direct supervision of a Cleveland Clinic Principal Investigator will provide practical training and experience in a research setting. This position is appointed through Cleveland Clinic Research. The successful applicant will be able to demonstrate a commitment to research, a collaborative work ethic and strong communication skills, both written and verbal. This program is expected to be completed within 5 years. Compensation follows the NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Salary Scale based on total years of postdoctoral experience.

Job Details

NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Salary Scale
Years of Experience: Stipend for FY 2025
0: $62,232
1: $62,652
2: $63,120
3: $65,640
4: $67,824
5: $70,344
6: $72,960
7 or More: $75,564

Immune checkpoint blockade has transformed cancer immunotherapy. The Wang laboratory was among the first to identify VISTA (V-domain Immunoglobulin Suppressor of T Cell Activation) as a promising immune checkpoint target for cancer therapy (1-4). Current multidisciplinary projects focus on the epigenetic and metabolic regulation of tumor-reactive T cells, CAR T cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). These studies integrate basic and clinical research, providing a strong training environment in translational cancer immunology.

We seek candidates with a recent PhD and with research experience in Biochemistry, Cell Biology, and Immunology to join our team. Interested applicants should submit a CV, a cover letter describing research interests, and contact information for three references to Dr. Li Lily Wang, wangl9@ccf.org.

References:
1. Le Mercier I, Chen W, Lines JL, Day M, Li J, Sergent P, Noelle RJ, Wang L (2014) VISTA regulates the development of protective anti-tumor immunity. Cancer Research, 74:1933-1944. PMC4116689
2. Xu W, Tạ MH, Malarkannan S, Wang L (2018) Review: The structure, expression, and function of immune-checkpoint protein VISTA as a critical regulator of anti-tumor immunity, autoimmunity, and inflammation. Cellular & Molecular Immunology. 2018 May 15(5):438-446 PMC6068175
3. Zhang K, Zakeri A, Alban T, Dong J, Ta HM, Zalavadia AH, Branicky A, Zhao H, Juric I, Husich H, Parthasarathy PB, Rupani A, Drazba JA, Chakraborty AA, Ching-Cheng Huang S, Chan T, Avril S, Wang LL. VISTA promotes the metabolism and differentiation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells by STAT3 and polyamine-dependent mechanisms. Cell Reports 2024 Jan 3;43(1):113661. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113661. PMID: 38175754.
4. Hieu Minh Ta, Dia Roy, Keman Zhang, Tyler Alban, Ivan Juric, Juan Dong, Sachin Patnaik, Cassandra Gilmour, Amin Zakeri, Prerana B Parthasarathy, Amit Rupani, Yee Peng Phoon, Brian Gastman, Timothy Chan, Li Lily Wang. LRIG1 engages ligand VISTA and impairs tumor-specific CD8+ T cell responses. Science Immunology, 2024 May 17;9(95) PMID: 38758807 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adi7418

Principal Investigator: Lily Wang, PhD

Cleveland Clinic Research Department: Cancer Sciences (THOR)

Lab Research Topics:

Next-generation Immune checkpoint protein
tumor immunology
Tumor-associated macrophages
T cell biology
For more information about the lab’s research, please visit: https://www.lerner.ccf.org/translational-hematology-oncology/wang/or contact Dr. Wang at wangl9@ccf.org

Job Responsibilities:

Independent project design with the goal of data generation, analysis, interpretation and manuscript preparation
Develop research projects
Design and execute experiments
Write manuscripts
Present research findings

Education:

PhD or MD/PhD required
MD with relevant laboratory experience may substitute for PhD

Languages:

English Proficiency proof required for candidates arriving on J-1, J-2, or F1 + OPT visa status

Work Experience:

Previous experience in a research or academic setting. Graduate student experience meets this requirement.
Scientific writing experience

Physical Requirements:

Ability to perform work in a stationary position for extended periods
Ability to operate a computer and other office equipment
Ability to communicate and exchange accurate information
Ability to distinguish color
Manual dexterity to handle specimens and repair equipment
Ability to lift and transport equipment or specimens weighing up to 20 pounds
May be exposed to hazardous chemicals, bio-hazards, radioactive materials, etc.

Personal Protective Equipment:

PPE per institutional requirements; may vary by laboratory

Preferred Application Materials:

All application materials should be submitted directly via email to Dr. Wang at wangl9@ccf.org

CV or NIH biosketch
First authored publications within the past 5 years.

Keywords: Postdoc, Research, Immunology research

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Cleveland Clinic Health System administers an influenza prevention program. You will be required to comply with this program, which will include obtaining an influenza vaccination on an annual basis or obtaining an approved exemption.

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