What are the responsibilities and job description for the Postdoctoral Researcher position at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia?
Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Qian Lab
Location: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) / University of Pennsylvania
The Qian Lab, located in the BRIDGE Center at CHOP and affiliated with the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania, is seeking a motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to join our team focused on human cerebral cortex development and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Our mission is to decode the cellular and molecular programs that govern human brain development and understand how their disruption leads to disorders such as congenital brain malformations and autism spectrum disorder. Our work leverages cutting-edge human-based approaches including brain organoids, spatial transcriptomics, and human genetics, uniquely positioning us to study the human cerebral cortex’s distinct and disease-relevant features.
Led by Dr. Xuyu Qian, tenure-track Assistant Professor, the lab integrates two complementary research directions:
- Pioneering the use of brain organoids to model human neurological diseases in patient-derived and genetically engineered systems (Qian et al, Cell 2016; Qian et al, Cell Stem Cell 2020; Qian et al, Dev Cell 2022).
- Applying single-cell spatial omics to developing human brain tissue to generate high-resolution maps revealing the emergence of distinct cortical layers and areas (Qian et al, Nature 2025).
Explore our work: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=iRSTuAoAAAAJ&hl=en
Successful candidates will lead independent projects, develop novel methods, mentor junior researchers, and contribute to collaborative efforts in a dynamic, multidisciplinary environment.
Qualifications:
- Doctoral degree or near completion in neuroscience, stem cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, bioinformatics, computational biology, or related fields
- Experience in wet lab, or bioinformatics analysis, or both is welcome
- Strong scientific curiosity, independence, and collaborative spirit
What we offer:
- State-of-the-art facilities and collaborative resources at CHOP and Penn
- Mentorship from an emerging leader in developmental neurobiology
- Professional development opportunities
Application Instructions:
Please apply formally through the CHOP careers portal: https://careers.chop.edu/us/en/job/1017150/Post-Doctoral-Research-Fellow-Neurology
Questions? Email us at qianlabrecruit@gmail.com!
Feel free to include your CV in that email. Please note that all formal applications must be submitted through the CHOP online portal linked above.
