Data Science Fellow — Organoid Biochemistry

(ID: 2026-3888)

Axleis a bioscience and information technology company that offers advancements in translational research, biomedical informatics, and data science applications to research centers and healthcare organizations nationally and abroad. With experts in biomedical science, software engineering, and program management, we focus on developing and applying research tools and techniques to empower decision-making and accelerate research discoveries. We work with some of the top research organizations and facilities in the country including multiple institutes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Benefits We Offer:

• 100% Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage for Employees
• Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays
• 401K match up to 5%
• Educational Benefits for Career Growth
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Flexible Spending Accounts:
  • Healthcare (FSA)
  • Parking Reimbursement Account (PRK)
  • Dependent Care Assistant Program (DCAP)
  • Transportation Reimbursement Account (TRN)

Position Overview

The Postdoctoral Fellow will help establish the laboratory’s core capacity for protein-focused biological support, connecting organoid phenotype and optical measurements to molecular mechanisms. The Fellow will implement two complementary platforms: Amplicon/Protein Bead Display (APB-Display) for rapid production, screening, and quantitative characterization of protein or nanobody libraries; and SMA/SMALP or related membrane-active-polymer workflows for detergent-free extraction of membrane proteins and associated lipids into native nanodiscs. The position serves as the principal biochemical resource for the two existing optical-methods postdocs and works closely with the chemical-spectroscopy postdoc on toxicant-induced changes in proteins, membranes, and lipid environments. The appointment is intended to prepare the Fellow for an independent research career in academia, government, or industry.

Key Responsibilities

• Biochemical support. Establish routine molecular-biology, protein-expression, purification, conjugation, and biochemical-assay support for organoid projects, including recombinant protein and nanobody production in bacterial, yeast, cell-free, or mammalian systems as appropriate.

• APB-Display implementation. Implement APB-Display using dual-functional hydrogel beads, pooled DNA libraries, particle-templated emulsification, emulsion PCR, emulsion in-vitro transcription/translation, SNAP-mediated protein capture, fluorescence-based expression and binding measurements, FACS sorting, and sequencing-based readout.

• Library design. Develop focused nanobody and affinity-reagent libraries informed by in-silico design, biological targets, chemical-toxicity hypotheses, and needs identified by the imaging and spectroscopy researchers.

• Quantitative screening. Implement APB-SortSeq for rapid single-concentration screening and APB-TiteSeq for quantitative concentration-series measurements of expression and binding affinity; establish controls for genotype-phenotype linkage, nonspecific binding, ligand depletion, bead occupancy, and sequencing representation.

• Orthogonal validation. Validate selected binders and interaction measurements with orthogonal methods such as fluorescence polarization, ELISA, pull-down/immunoprecipitation, biolayer interferometry, surface plasmon resonance, size-exclusion chromatography, or other accessible assays.

• Membrane-polymer workflows. Establish SMA/SMALP and related membrane-active-polymer screening in relevant cell lines, organoid-derived cells, tissue preparations, and organoid models. Use fluorescence-based bulk-solubilization assays, polymer and buffer optimization, and target-protein-specific recovery measurements to select conditions that preserve native protein-lipid assemblies.

• Nanodisc quality control. Apply quality-control methods for native nanodiscs, including fluorescence measurements, dynamic light scattering, size-exclusion chromatography, negative-stain electron microscopy through a core facility, gel-based analysis, and mass-spectrometry-compatible preparation.

• Membrane-complex enrichment. Coordinate targeted extraction and affinity enrichment of membrane proteins and complexes from plasma membrane, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, lysosomal, or other organellar membranes; preserve samples for proteomic, lipidomic, functional, structural, and electron-tomography follow-up.

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