Postdoc Transposons ResearchMolecular and Cell Biology

Application Window

Open date:
October 4, 2025

Next review date:
Wednesday, Mar 18, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Final date:
Wednesday, Mar 18, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Postdoctoral Employee (003252) – Transposons Research, Molecular and Cell Biology

Salary range:
The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. A reasonable estimate for this position is $66,737 - $74,425.

Percent time: 100% FTE

Anticipated start:
Fall 2025 to Spring 2026

Position duration:
Two years with the possibility of extension based on performance and availability of funding.

The He lab is in the Molecular and Cell Biology department at UC‑Berkeley, which encompasses a breadth of disciplines spanning all levels of organization and diverse organisms. The breadth of training, combined with the unique location of Berkeley in the center of biomedical research, offers a nurturing environment for the next–generation scientist to launch a successful career in biomedical research in academia and industry.

The Principal Investigator, Dr. Lin He, was awarded the Mac Arthur Fellowship, the Searle Scholar, a HHMI Faculty Scholar, and is the Thomas and Stacey Siebel distinguished chair professor at UC‑Berkeley, and a biohub investigator with the Chan‑Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI).

The developmental and physiological complexity of a given organism is not governed by the sheer number of protein‑coding genes. In mammals, the numerous functional non‑coding elements greatly expand gene regulatory modalities and diversify functional reservoirs. Using human genetics/genomics, mouse genetics/genomics, cell and molecular biology approaches, the He lab at UC‑Berkeley has identified a variety of functional non‑coding elements, including transposons and non‑coding RNAs.

Not only do non‑coding elements offer important developmental and physiological functions, they also provide a unique angle to discover new biological and cellular processes in development and disease. Combining sophisticated genome engineering and innovative live‑cell imaging, we have pioneered in‑vivo studies to elucidate the new cellular functions and molecular mechanisms in development and aging. The lab’s discoveries have been published in prestigious journals including Nature, Science, and Cell.

Currently, there are postdoc openings in two projects.

Transposons in mammalian pre‑implantation development:
Approximately 40% of the mammalian genome originates from transposons. While historically viewed as degenerated “parasitic” DNAs, transposons yield numerous functional elements for the host genome. These sequences confer new mechanisms of gene regulation, generate ncRNA functions, and provide raw material for genome innovation. Mammalian pre‑implantation embryos provide an optimal system to study transposon‑host interactions, as about 20% of their transcriptome results from transposon induction.

The project aims to characterize the role of specific transposons in pre‑implantation embryos.

Transposons in aging and disease:
Specific transposons are integral components of host biology, but many are potentially detrimental and inactivated via mutations or silencing. Aberrant transposon induction has been observed in various pathological conditions, including aging, cancer, and infection. The project aims to investigate mechanisms underlying transposon dysregulation during reproductive aging and cancer, and to elucidate the effects of transposon‑host interactions that accelerate aging and promote cancer.

• The postdoc will work with the PI to develop a project in one of the two research directions, read literature, establish appropriate experimental systems, learn important technologies, and execute experiments to advance the project and perform data analyses.
• The postdoc will meet with the PI weekly to discuss results and develop experimental plans.
• The postdoc will mentor junior lab members on specific experimental techniques.
• The postdoc will contribute to lab duties, which are evenly distributed among all lab members.

Basic qualifications (required at application)

• PhD (or…