Postdoctoral Fellow in Senescence, Aging and Inflammation

About the role

A postdoctoral position is available in the laboratory of Dr. Dana T. Graves at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Department of Periodontics. The fellow will investigate mechanisms by which cellular senescence and inflammation interact to promote age-associated pathology, using a periodontal mouse model and human tissue validation. The role integrates experimental biology with single‑cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‑seq), 10x Genomics Xenium spatial transcriptomics, quantitative imaging, and molecular and cellular validation to define disease‑associated cell states, signaling networks, and potential therapeutic targets.

Responsibilities

• Investigate molecular and cellular mechanisms linking senescence and inflammation to tissue dysfunction, repair, regeneration, and bone resorption using in vivo mouse models, including experimental approaches to identify, characterize, and manipulate senescent cells.
• Contribute to bioinformatic analyses of scRNA-seq and 10x Genomics Xenium spatial transcriptomic datasets.
• Develop and execute rigorous experimental approaches using in vivo, ex vivo, and/or in vitro models as appropriate to the project.
• Perform quality control, data integration, cell annotation, differential expression, pathway, trajectory, state-transition, and ligand-receptor analyses.
• Integrate transcriptomic findings with imaging, histologic, cellular, and phenotypic measurements.
• Use immunofluorescence and quantitative image analysis to characterize cellular localization, spatial distribution, and tissue organization.
• Develop rigorous, reproducible experimental and computational workflows.
• Interpret findings in biological and disease contexts and contribute to analytical and experimental strategy.
• Generate clear figures, present findings, and communicate effectively with computational and experimental collaborators.
• Prepare first-author manuscripts and contribute to grant development and collaborative studies.

Requirements

• Prior research experience in cellular senescence, with preference for expertise in SASP, senolytics, p16/p21 pathways, or experimental identification and manipulation of senescent cells.
• Experience with single‑cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‑seq) and 10x Genomics Xenium spatial transcriptomics.
• Proficiency in quantitative imaging, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and histology.
• Skills in molecular perturbation studies, genetically engineered mouse models, and primary mouse/human cell culture.
• Ability to perform pathway analysis, trajectory and pseudotime analysis, regulatory‑network inference, and ligand‑receptor analysis.