Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate
USC Auxiliary Services
This job at a glance
- Who can apply
- New grads and up to 4 years
- Work
- On-site in Los Angeles
- Pay
- $70.3K–$80K a year
- Listed
- Nov 1, 2026 · still open
About the Role
A Postdoctoral Researcher position is available in the research laboratory of Dr. Annie Hiniker at the University of Southern California. This NIH-funded project collaborates with Dr. Allison Kraus's laboratory at Case Western Reserve University to study tau seeding in the human brain and its modifications by age, co-pathologies, inflammatory responses, and regional molecular changes. The project integrates human neuropathology with RT-QuIC seeding assays, biochemical characterization, transcriptomic analysis, and multiomic approaches.
Research Description
The Hiniker lab focuses on identifying mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disease through human neuropathology, cell and molecular biology, and molecular profiling. The lab's work includes studying protein aggregation and degradation in neurodegenerative diseases. A primary focus of this project is to define the distribution, biochemical features, and cellular correlates of tau seeds across aging and disease states, and to identify features of pathogenic tau seeds that drive neurodegenerative disease.
Key Responsibilities
- Studies using well-characterized human brain tissue from neurodegenerative disease and control cohorts
- Neuropathologic analysis via immunohistochemistry/immunofluorescence of tau, a-synuclein, TDP-43, Ab, and related changes
- Integration of neuropathology with tau RT-QuIC and related seed amplification assays
- Biochemistry and molecular biology of human brain tissue
- Generation and analysis of multiomic (transcriptomic, metabolomic, lipidomic, and related molecular) datasets
- Preparation of manuscripts, figures, abstracts, and presentations
Salary Range
The annual base salary range for this position is $70,304 - $80,000.
Requirements & Tech Stack
- Ph.D. in neuroscience, molecular biology, biochemistry, pathology, or a related discipline (or to be acquired soon)
- Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate acquired within the previous 4 years.
Qualifications
- Strong publication record
- Experience with neurodegenerative disease research
- Experience with transcriptomic, metabolomic, lipidomic, or related molecular datasets