Postdoctoral Fellow

The Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), is seeking two highly motivated postdoctoral fellows to join our laboratory in developing next-generation gene and cell therapies for sickle cell disease, β-thalassemia, and other inherited blood disorders. Our research spans genome editing, stem cell engineering, antibody-based conditioning, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, with the goal of translating innovative discoveries into curative therapies.

Position 1: Genome Editing for Hemoglobinopathies and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Gene Therapy

This position focuses on the development and optimization of CRISPR-Cas9, base editing, prime editing, and other genome engineering technologies in human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Research includes the development of novel strategies for fetal hemoglobin reactivation and mutation correction, functional evaluation of edited HSPCs, molecular characterization of genome editing outcomes, and translation of these approaches into mouse xenograft and nonhuman primate transplantation models.

Position 2: Stem Cell Gene Therapy, Antibody-Based Conditioning, and In Vivo Selection

This position focuses on developing safer and more effective hematopoietic stem cell transplantation strategies through antibody-based conditioning, stem cell engineering, in vivo selection of genetically modified cells, and lentiviral gene addition. Projects include evaluating hematopoietic reconstitution and long-term stem cell function following transplantation, developing chemotherapy-free conditioning strategies, and translating these approaches into clinically relevant animal models.

Applicants should have a Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent doctoral degree received within the past 5 years, or be expected to receive their degree within the next 6 months, in molecular biology, genetics, stem cell biology, biomedical engineering, immunology, hematology, or a related field.

Experience in one or more of the following areas is desirable:

CRISPR genome editing, mammalian cell culture, hematopoietic stem cell biology, stem cell transplantation, flow cytometry and cell sorting, molecular biology techniques, lentiviral vector technologies, animal models of hematopoiesis, bioinformatics or next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. The ideal candidates will be highly motivated, intellectually curious, and enthusiastic about developing innovative gene and cell therapies with direct translational and clinical impact. The positions offer outstanding opportunities to collaborate with leading investigators across the NIH and with academic and biotechnology partners, present research at national and international conferences, publish in high-impact scientific journals, and contribute to projects advancing toward clinical translation.

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter describing their research interests and career goals, a curriculum vitae, and contact information for three professional references to selami.demirci@nih.gov.