Neuroscience Research Fellow

A Postdoctoral Fellow position is available in the Neurodegeneration and Sleep Pathology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic under the leadership of Dr. Lea T. Grinberg. 

The laboratory investigates the biological basis of sleep and circadian dysfunction in aging and neurodegenerative diseases using deeply characterized human brain tissue. Our group has generated single cell, spatial transcriptomic, and spatial proteomic datasets spanning normal aging, Alzheimer disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, atypical Alzheimer disease variants, Lewy body disease, and related disorders, linked to detailed neuroanatomical, neuropathological, clinical, and sleep phenotyping.

The fellow will join a collaborative, multidisciplinary team integrating molecular data with anatomy, cell biology, neural circuits, and disease mechanisms. We are seeking a candidate who will think first about the biological question and use genomic and computational tools to answer it. The ideal candidate will have a strong neuroscience foundation, preferably in neurodegeneration, and sufficient experience with large-scale omics data to independently formulate and test hypotheses. A candidate does not need to be a pipeline developer, software engineer, or dedicated bioinformatician.

Scientific Discovery and Omics Interpretation

• Develop and lead biologically driven projects focused on neural circuits, cell types, sleep and circadian dysfunction, and mechanisms of neurodegeneration.
• Analyze and interpret single cell, spatial transcriptomic, spatial proteomic, and related molecular datasets from human brain tissue.
• Integrate molecular findings with neuroanatomical, neuropathological, clinical, and sleep phenotypes, and use public datasets to validate or extend findings.
• Investigate selective neuronal vulnerability and resilience and develop models linking molecular changes to neuronal dysfunction, circuit disruption, and clinical phenotypes.

Computational Fluency

• Understand the strengths, limitations, and biological assumptions of common omics analytical approaches.
• Independently explore datasets, identify biologically meaningful patterns, and develop testable hypotheses.
• Select appropriate analytical strategies, critically evaluate results, and communicate effectively with quantitative collaborators.
• Translate complex molecular patterns into biological, anatomical, and disease-relevant interpretations. The emphasis is scientific discovery.

Research Leadership and Collaboration

• Lead manuscripts, abstracts, presentations, and contributions to grant or fellowship applications.
• Present findings at internal seminars and scientific meetings and conferences.
• Collaborate across neuroscience, neuropathology, sleep medicine, computational biology, and related disciplines.
• Mentor trainees or junior team members as appropriate and contribute to multidisciplinary scientific discussions.

Scientific Opportunity

This position provides access to rare human brain datasets combining modern molecular profiling with detailed neuroanatomical, neuropathological, clinical, and sleep phenotyping. The fellow will develop and lead biologically driven projects within the laboratory’s broader mission of understanding sleep and circadian dysfunction across aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
Potential questions include why sleep- and wake-regulating neurons show selective vulnerability or resilience; which molecular changes precede or follow neuronal loss; how different diseases alter common neural systems; and whether integration with public datasets can identify conserved mechanisms or therapeutic targets. The fellow will be encouraged to develop scientific ownership of projects, pursue directions emerging from the data, and contribute to high-impact publications, collaborative grants, and future funding opportunities.

For more information: https://www.mayo.edu/research/faculty/grinberg-lea-t-m-d-ph-d/bio-20587710

A Research Fellow at Mayo Clinic is a temporary position intended to provide training and education in research. Individuals will train in the research program of a Mayo Clinic principal investigator. Qualified individuals will demonstrate the potential for research as evidenced by their training and peer-reviewed publications and should become competitive for national research grants. Proof of English proficiency is required for J-1 Short-Term Scholars, Research Scholars, Professors, Specialists, and Student Interns sponsored by Mayo Clinic.

•  PhD, MD/PhD, or equivalent doctoral degree in neuroscience, neurobiology, neurodegeneration, molecular biology, computational biology, or a related discipline.
• Strong conceptual foundation in neuroscience and experience developing and conducting independent scientific research.
•  Familiarity with single cell, spatial transcriptomic, proteomic, or other large-scale molecular datasets, with sufficient computational fluency to explore data and critically evaluate analyses.
• Strong ability to interpret complex datasets in a biological and anatomical context and work effectively with quantitative collaborators.
• Strong scientific writing, presentation, communication, and multidisciplinary collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Research experience in neurodegenerative disease, aging, sleep or circadian biology, neuronal cell biology, or neural circuits.
• Experience with human brain tissue or human neuroscience datasets is welcome but not required.
• Experience integrating molecular, anatomical, neuropathological, clinical, or sleep-related datasets.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations, with interest in future fellowship or collaborative funding opportunities.

Research Fellow is appropriate for individuals who have completed no more than one prior postdoctoral fellowship, at Mayo Clinic or elsewhere.

Compensation Detail: $67,282 - $78,711/ year; Education, experience and tenure may be considered along with internal equity when job offers are extended.