Postdoctoral Fellowship in Gastrointestinal Epithelial Biology and Mucosal Immunology
NIH-supported | Brigham and Women’s Hospital | Harvard Medical School
The gut epithelium forms a single-cell-thick barrier that must simultaneously exclude a complex microbial community and permit selective absorption of nutrients, ions, and water. Tight junctions, which are central to this function, are dynamic, regulated structures whose permeability is continuously tuned by physiological and pathological signals. The Turner Lab investigates the molecular mechanisms that control this regulation, how dysregulation contributes to inflammatory, infectious, and metabolic diseases of the gut, and how barrier function might be therapeutically restored.
Our work extends from protein structure to cell culture, in vivo mouse models, and human intestinal tissue, integrating advanced imaging (including super-resolution approaches), molecular biology, and proteomics.
What We Do
Our research focuses on three interconnected areas:
Tight junction biology – define the molecular mechanisms that regulate junction remodeling and permeability in intestinal epithelial cells
Barrier-immune-microbiome interactions – determine how junction permeability, the gut microbiome, and mucosal immunity interact to promote homeostasis or contribute to inflammatory and metabolic disease.
Therapeutic development – identify and validate junction-targeted strategies that restore barrier function to limit or reverse disease.
Representative Publications
Horowitz et al. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023;20:417–432.
Graham et al. Nat Med. 2019;25:690–700.
Raju et al. J Clin Invest. 2020;130:5197–5208.
Oami et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2024;121:e2217877121.
Shashikanth et al. Nat Commun. 2022;13:3780.
What We Offer Fellows
Own their projects. You will develop, with PI input, a project you carry forward as the foundation of your independent research program.
Write collaboratively. Manuscripts, reviews, and grant applications are prepared with direct PI involvement — not handed off to you alone and not written without you.
Present their work. At lab meetings, institutional seminars, and national and international conferences.
Train in a rich environment. The Harvard Medical School Longwood campus offers extensive seminars, workshops, and collaborative opportunities across some of the strongest biomedical research groups in the world.
Receive mentorship, not management. The goal is your success as an independent scientist. That means direct feedback, real investment in your development, and active support for your next career step.
Compensation. Salary of $71,000–$85,000, commensurate with experience, full benefits, and a formal HMS appointment.
What We’re Looking For
A Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent degree in cell biology, physiology, microbiology, immunology, or a related field. Beyond that, what matters most is scientific rigor, genuine curiosity about epithelial and mucosal biology, and the drive to do work that holds up.
Experience with cell culture, animal models, advanced microscopy, or mucosal immunology is advantageous but not required in any specific combination. We will train the right person.
To Apply
Curriculum vitae
Brief statement of research experience and interests
A short paragraph on why the Turner Lab specifically
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
MassGeneral Brigham is an equal opportunity employer.
