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We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow for exploring the mechanisms through which the symbiotic relationship between the gut microbiota and the host contributes to maintaining intestinal homeostasis.

Pediatric Gastroenterology

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow with at least 2 - 3 years of experience in cellular, molecular, and immunobiology as applied to the fields of nanotechnology and cancer at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Specifically, candidates will be expected to be experienced in, but not limited to, multicolor flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, multiplexed cytokine profiling assays, immunohistochemistry, mammalian cell culture, genetic engineering, and animal models. The ideal candidate should also have a working knowledge of the immune system and applications involving the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, familiarity with cell populations that comprise the tumor microenvironment, as well as assays used for immunophenotyping, characterization of activation status, and functional evaluation of these populations is expected. The prospective candidate will be exposed to a dynamic environment focused on the translation of nanotechnologies to the clinic and will gain invaluable experience across a wide variety of subjects by working closely with a collegial, highly motivated, multidisciplinary team of clinicians and scientists, including immunologists, oncologists, surgeons, cell biologists, chemists, and material scientists.

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow for exploring the mechanisms through which the symbiotic relationship between the gut microbiota and the host contributes to maintaining intestinal homeostasis. This position would be a great opportunity for a graduate trainee who has studied basic mechanisms in cellular and molecular biology, immune regulation, and microbiology and is interested in postdoctoral training with a translational focus.


We isolated and cloned a secretory protein, p40, from Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), one of the best-studied probiotic bacteria in clinical trials. Our work established a model in which p40 may mediate the beneficial effects of probiotics through intestinal epithelial cells and demonstrated that transient exposure to p40 during the neonatal period provides durable protection against colitis that extends into adulthood. To extend these findings, we will examine how p40 in early life transmits health-promoting signals and imprints them onto intestinal ecosystems in adulthood. 

We also reveal a previously unrecognized function of intestinal epithelial cells in reinforcing the beneficial effects of LGG on the host through secreted extracellular vesicles (EVs). Our future study will explore the mechanisms underlying the reciprocal nature of the symbiosis between the gut microbiome and the host and apply such knowledge for developing strategies to enhance the probiotic efficacy in maintaining intestinal health and preventing and treating intestinal inflammatory diseases. 

If interested in this full-time post-doc opportunity in Pediatric Gastroenterology working in Dr. Fang Yan's lab, please email Natalie Luttell for more details and further application questions and/or comments.

Fang Yan, MD, PhD
: natalie.a.brewer@vumc.org
: (812) 454-5134
2020-05-28 15:44:24

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