Staff Scientist

About the role

The Section of Minimally Invasive Surgery at the University of Chicago is an internationally recognized academic surgical program focused on advancing the care of patients with foregut and esophageal disorders, abdominal wall reconstruction, bariatric surgery, and surgical innovation. Our multidisciplinary research program integrates translational laboratory investigation, preclinical surgical models, human tissue analysis, prospective clinical research, and collaborative engineering approaches to better understand disease mechanisms and improve surgical care.

Responsibilities

• Design, lead, and execute translational research projects focused on foregut disease, esophageal physiology, tissue remodeling, wound healing, surgical innovation, and related gastrointestinal diseases.
• Develop, optimize, and perform preclinical animal models, including large animal surgical models, to investigate disease mechanisms and evaluate novel surgical therapies.
• Design and perform mechanistic laboratory studies using human tissue specimens, biospecimens, molecular biology techniques, histology, immunohistochemistry, microscopy, and other translational laboratory methods.
• Analyze existing tissue repositories and prospectively collected biospecimens to investigate disease mechanisms, tissue remodeling, and translational biomarkers.
• Lead and support prospective clinical research studies evaluating esophageal physiology, reflux diagnostics, novel surgical techniques, medical devices, and patient outcomes.
• Collaborate with faculty, research coordinators, engineers, statisticians, and basic scientists on multidisciplinary research initiatives.
• Analyze experimental and clinical datasets using appropriate statistical methods and assist with interpretation of research findings.
• Collaborate on engineering and computational research initiatives involving quantitative image analysis, computational modeling, and artificial intelligence applications when appropriate.
• Prepare manuscripts, abstracts, grant applications, scientific presentations, regulatory submissions, and sponsor progress reports.
• Serve as a resource for collecting data and performing analysis. Contributes to facilitating and promoting a research project by providing scientific or intellectual information.
• Reviews laboratory protocols and training on new techniques. Manage complex data sets for research.
• Leads the contributions to scientific writing and publications, including protocols and grants.
• Trains new laboratory personnel.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Qualifications

• PhD in biomedical sciences, physiology, immunology, molecular biology, bioengineering, pharmacology, or a related scientific discipline.
• Postdoctoral training in translational biomedical research, surgical research, cancer biology, immunology, physiology, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience conducting independent translational biomedical research.
• Experience designing, executing, and troubleshooting laboratory experiments.
• Experience with scientific writing, manuscript preparation, and presentation of research findings.
• Experience developing and performing preclinical animal models, including survival surgery and animal surgical models.
• Experience with human tissue procurement, tissue processing, biospecimen management, histology, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, molecular biology, flow cytometry, microscopy, cell culture, and related laboratory techniques.
• Experience integrating laboratory investigations with prospective clinical research studies.
• Experience coordinating translational research involving biospecimen collection, physiologic testing, imaging, and clinical databases.
• Experience designing investigator-initiated studies and contributing to industry-sponsored and federally funded research.
• Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publications and successful grant or fellowship writing.
• Experience mentoring medical students, graduate students, residents, fellows, and research staff.
• Experience establishing collaborations across basic science, engineering, and clinical departments.
• Strong scientific reasoning and experimental design skills.
• Knowledge of molecular biology and tissue-based laboratory techniques.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across clinical, engineering, computational, and basic science disciplines.
• Demonstrated mentorship and leadership skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Commitment to scientific rigor, reproducibility, and regulatory compliance.