Postdoctoral research associate

About the Role

Multiple postdoctoral research associate positions are available in the Lawson Lab, Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, beginning January 2027. Projects will focus on modeling vascular anomalies. Projects can be tailored to candidate interests.

Key Responsibilities

• Modeling vascular anomalies in human iPSCs:

• Generate and characterize human iPSC lines bearing conditional mutations associated with vascular anomalies.

• Focus on known activating mutations (e.g., GNAQ, MEK, PIK3CA, RAS) and loss of function mutations (e.g., RASA1, EPHB4).

• Design and implement targeting strategies to establish genetically modified iPSC lines for conditional activation or deletion.

• Assess endothelial cell differentiation and morphogenesis.

• Leverage campus resources including the UW Human Stem Cell Core and WiCell.

• Collaborate on organ-on-a-chip models for assessing tissue-level phenotypes.

• Conduct comparative “omics” studies to identify commonly affected pathways among candidate variants.

• Define cell-of-origin in human vascular anomaly lesions.

• Target non-endothelial types as warranted.

• Modeling vascular anomalies in zebrafish:

• Analyze zebrafish embryos and adults bearing specific mutations, including capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation syndrome (CM-AVM) and Sturge-Weber Syndrome (SWS).

• Perform serial confocal imaging, immunostaining, and scRNA-seq.

• Define the genetic nature of mosaic lesions in adult heterozygous carriers for CM-AVM models.

• Apply exome and whole genome sequencing to identify second hit mutations.

• Employ CRISPR to test candidates in zebrafish.

• Investigate second hit candidates in CM-AVM patient lesions.

• Generate and apply new conditional alleles to investigate cell-autonomy through Cre-mediated deletion.

• Model post embryonic disease progression.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• PhD in the Biological Sciences.
• Ideally with a concentration in developmental biology and/or genetics.
• Expertise with genetic approaches in animal models or iPSC models is required.
• Broad background in molecular biology is preferred.
• Highly motivated and technically accomplished.
• Exceptional publication record.

Qualifications

• PhD in Biological Sciences (preferred focus: developmental biology and/or genetics).
• Expertise in genetic approaches (animal or iPSC models).
• Broad molecular biology background.
• Strong publication record.

Interested candidates should send a brief (1 page or less) cover letter along with a CV.

Only applicants accepted for initial consideration will be contacted for letters of reference.