Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Human Neuroimmunology, Brain Organoids and Multi-omics Full-time

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Human Neuroimmunology, Brain Organoids and Multi-omics

The Laboratory of Professor Jan D. Lünemann, UBC Chair in Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune Neurology Research, invites applications for a highly motivated and intellectually curious Postdoctoral Fellow to join an interdisciplinary research program at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (DMCBH), one of Canada's leading neuroscience research centres.

The successful candidate will develop next-generation human experimental models to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying autoimmune and inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system, including multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), MOG antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), autoimmune encephalitis, and related neurological disorders.

The project combines human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technology, brain organoids, genome engineering, advanced imaging, systems immunology, and high-throughput multi-omics to investigate neuroimmune interactions and identify novel therapeutic targets.

The successful candidate will join a rapidly expanding international research program dedicated to uncovering the mechanisms of immune-mediated diseases of the nervous system through human discovery science. Embedded within an extensive interdisciplinary network of experts in neuroimmunology, stem cell biology, biomedical engineering, computational biology, artificial intelligence, and precision medicine across UBC, they will have access to cutting-edge research infrastructure, including human stem cell and organoid platforms, genome engineering technologies, advanced microscopy, spectral flow cytometry, single-cell and spatial genomics, proteomics and biomarker laboratories, and high-performance computational resources. The laboratory is deeply committed to excellent mentorship and fostering the professional development of early-career researchers through extensive national and international collaborations.

The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will report directly to Professor Lünemann and collaborate closely with investigators across the Faculty of Medicine, DMCBH, the School of Biomedical Engineering, the Life Sciences Institute, and national and international collaborators.

Professor Lünemann is the inaugural UBC Chair in Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune Neurology Research and Director of the UBC MS & Neuromyelitis Optica Program. His laboratory combines human discovery science with advanced experimental technologies to understand disease mechanisms and develop precision therapeutics for autoimmune neurological diseases.

Work Performed

• Design and lead innovative research projects investigating mechanisms of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.
• Generate and characterize human brain organoids and neural assembloids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs).
• Differentiate hiPSCs into neural cell populations including neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia.
• Develop complex neuroimmune co-culture systems incorporating immune cells into human CNS models.
• Apply CRISPR/Cas-based genome engineering technologies to investigate disease-associated genes and signaling pathways.
• Perform functional immunological experiments investigating immune-cell activation, cytokine responses, antibody-mediated mechanisms, complement activation, and neuroimmune communication.
• Apply advanced microscopy techniques including confocal microscopy, live-cell imaging, high-content imaging, and three-dimensional image analysis.
• Perform and integrate high-dimensional molecular analyses, including single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, immune repertoire sequencing, and other multi-omics technologies.
• Collaborate with computational scientists to analyse large-scale datasets using state-of-the-art bioinformatics and artificial intelligence approaches.
• Prepare manuscripts for publication in leading international journals.
• Present research findings at national and international scientific meetings.
• Contribute to grant applications and collaborative research initiatives.
• Mentor graduate students, undergraduate trainees, and research assistants within the laboratory.
• Contribute to establishing a collaborative, inclusive, and scientifically stimulating research environment.

Supervision Received

The candidate will work under the direct supervision of Professor Jan D. Lünemann while maintaining a high degree of scientific independence. The candidate will be expected to develop independent research directions aligned with the laboratory's overall research strategy and contribute intellectually to collaborative projects.

Supervision Given

The candidate will provide scientific mentorship to graduate students, undergraduate researchers, visiting trainees, and research assistants, including technical training and day-to-day guidance within research projects.

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD (or equivalent) in neuroscience, immunology, stem cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, biomedical engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Ph.D. within 5 years or M.D./D.D.S. within 10 years
• Demonstrated research excellence through peer-reviewed publications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to work independently and effectively in an interdisciplinary and collaborative research environment with excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Commitment to enhancing awareness, knowledge and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Scientific curiosity, creativity and a strong commitment to scientific rigor, reproducibility, and open science.

Stem Cell Biology and Disease Modelling

• Experience working with human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), human brain organoids, cerebral organoids, or neural assembloids and other three-dimensional CNS culture systems.

Neuroimmunology and Immunology

• Strong background in cellular and molecular immunology, including human B-cell and T-cell biology, antibody responses, and humoral immunity, immune activation, immune regulation, and adaptive immune responses.
• Knowledge of autoimmune and neuroinflammatory disease mechanisms.
• Experience with complement biology or antibody-mediated neurological diseases is considered an asset.

Immunological Techniques

• Human immune cell isolation and culture.
• Multicolour or spectral flow cytometry.
• Functional immune assays, including T-cell activation, B-cell differentiation, cytokine profiling, ELISA, ELISpot, multiplex immunoassays, and immune-cell phenotyping and antibody characterization

Neuroimmune Co-culture Competency

• Experience with co-culture of immune cells with neural cells or organoids, human microglia differentiation and characterization, monocyte-derived macrophage culture and functional neuroimmune interaction assays.

Genetic Engineering

• Experience with CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) and CRISPR activation (CRISPRa), generation of genetically engineered hiPSC lines, and viral vector technologies.

Advanced Imaging

• Experience with confocal microscopy, high-content imaging, live-cell imaging.
• Three-dimensional image reconstruction and quantitative image analysis using Fiji/ImageJ, CellProfiler, Imaris, or related software.

High-throughput Multi-omics

• Experience with single-cell RNA sequencing, single-cell multi-omics, spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenomics, and
• immune repertoire sequencing.

Bioinformatics and Data Analysis

• Experience analysing high-dimensional biological datasets.
• Proficiency in R for statistical analysis, visualization, and reproducible data analysis.
• Experience with packages such as Seurat, Bioconductor, tidyverse, SingleCellExperiment, or related software.
• Experience with Python and machine learning approaches is considered an asset.

Application Procedure

Applicants should submit:

• Cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Research statement (1–2 pages)
• Contact information for three references
• Up to three representative publications

We invite interested candidates to submit an application via Workday. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date for this position is November 2, 2026 or on a mutually agreed upon date. Should you have any queries around this position, please contact Dr. Jan Lünemann at jan.lunemann@ubc.ca.

The University of British Columbia is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive, equitable, and diverse workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically, persistently, or systemically underrepresented in academia. An inclusive work environment presumes an environment where differences are appreciated, recognized, and integrated into current structures, planning, and decision-making modes. Within this hiring process we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable process for all candidates