Interested in exploring the role of adipose tissues in mucosal inflammation in a supportive, creative, and inclusive environment?
The Grasset lab
Our lab’s long-term objective is to uncover novel mechanisms underlying the pathology of Crohn’s disease (CD), a progressive incurable disease characterized by transmural intestinal inflammation leading to complications often requiring bowel resection surgery. The goal is to identify novel therapeutic targets by focusing on two previously disconnected hallmarks of CD: expanded mesenteric adipose tissue wrapping around the intestine – or creeping fat – and anti-microbial antibodies, both correlating with disease complications.
Studying these hallmarks will further reveal unexplored relationships between adipocytes, stromal cells, and immune cells driving B cell responses in gut homeostasis and inflammation. Understanding these relationships will impact how we perceive immune responses at other mucosal sites and systemically.
Ongoing projects include: the study of the impact of CD-specific microbiota on stromal cell-supported lymphoid structures embedded in mesenteric adipose tissue; specific mechanisms by which stromal cells and adipocytes communicate with B cells; and the subsequent impact on B cell activation and their differentiation to anti-microbial antibody-producing plasma cells. Future projects will investigate how these relationships are established in early life and evolve over time.
The unique multidisciplinary and collaborative environment within the Drukier Institute for Children’s Health, the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, as well as the Jill Roberts Institute for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, provides the ideal environment for driving projects in our lab!
PI statement
I believe the best way to foster a creative scientific environment is to reward teamwork while encouraging individuals to take on new challenges aligned with their individual development and project needs. Your career development matters and will be supported, including through seminar and conference presentations and grant-writing opportunities.
Position Responsibilities
We are seeking a team-oriented, collaborative, and proactive postdoc to play a key role in growing our research program. You would lead your own project focused on adipocyte–stromal–immune interactions in the context of Crohn’s disease and mucosal immunology, and collaborate with other lab members to maximize the use of our samples from gnotobiotic models and human tissues.
Responsibilities include:
- Conducting independent and collaborative research following lab, departmental, and institutional policies.
- Designing, organizing, and executing experiments using established and new protocols.
- Collecting, preparing, and analyzing research data; maintaining detailed experimental records.
- Preparing datasets, figures, and statistical analyses for presentations and publications.
- Participating in manuscript and abstract preparation, publishing research findings, and presenting at conferences.
- Assisting the Principal Investigator with fellowship, grant, and scholarship applications.
- Contributing to lab operations, including training or supervising students, interns, and other personnel.
Minimum Qualifications:
PhD, MD, or equivalent doctoral degree
- Ability to work collaboratively, proactively, and effectively within a team
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Foundational wet lab experience (e.g. routine molecular, cellular, and/or immunological techniques)
- Basic mouse handling experience (e.g. colony work, bleeding, and/or in vivo experiments)
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in any of the following areas is highly valuable:
- Adipocyte biology
- Fatty acid metabolism
- Adipose-derived stromal cells
- Stromal–immune crosstalk
- Immunology
- Microbiology
Preferred technical experience includes:
- Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis
- Spectral flow cytometry
- Confocal imaging (whole-mount clearing a plus)
- B cell repertoire analysis
- Mass spectrometry
- Cell culture
- Anaerobic bacterial culture
Application Process:
Interested applicants should email the following materials to Emilie Grasset at emg4011@med.cornell.edu, using “Postdoc position” in the subject line:
- CV
- Cover letter describing past and future research interests and motivation for applying to the Grasset Lab
- Following interviews, candidates will be asked to share contact information of three references
Weill Cornell Medical College offers subsidized housing, excellent benefits, and will assist in fulfilling visa requirements.
Commitment to Diversity
Weill Cornell Medicine is committed to fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion among our faculty, staff, and students. We seek out individuals with a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences, and we work to create programs that support both our current employees and our recruitment efforts.
EEO Statement
Weill Cornell Medicine welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “any person, any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Appointment Term:
One-year appointment, with potential for renewal based on performance and funding.
Starting Date:
Available immediately. The exact start date is flexible, with consideration for potential visa processing timelines.
Location of Appointment:
You will join our lab on the Weill Cornell Medical College campus on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, at the heart of a research hub which includes Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and The Rockefeller University. This provides additional opportunities for collaboration and networking across multiple scientific disciplines.
Lab and Department Websites:
Lab: https://vivo.weill.cornell.edu/display/cwid-emg4011
Drukier Institute: https://drukierinstitute.weill.cornell.edu/
Department of Pediatrics: https://pediatrics.weill.cornell.edu/
Salary:
Salary is based on years of experience, starting at $74,692, and will comply with the Postdoctoral Union’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Benefits:
A summary of employee benefits is available on the WCM Human Resources website.
Visa Options:
Candidates applying for this position could be eligible for a J-1 Exchange visitor visa and the H-1B temporary worker visa.
Union Membership:
This position is covered under a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between Weill Cornell Medicine and the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (“UAW”), and its Local Union, Weill Cornell Medicine Postdocs United-UAW Local 4100.
Contact
- Pediatrics