We are recruiting a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to join a newly funded Helmsley Charitable Trust-supported program focused on defining the roles of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), NK cells, and other innate immune populations in human type 1 diabetes (T1D) and healthy pancreas using single-cell and spatial transcriptomic platforms.

 

The Postdoctoral Fellow will be based in Dr. Sarah Crome’s research program at UBC and BC Cancer, which is focused on human Natural Killer (NK) cell and innate lymphoid cell (ILC) biology, immune regulation, and human immunology. The fellow will be embedded in a highly collaborative, internationally visible research team that brings together complementary expertise spanning innate immunity, autoimmunity, spatial biology, and islet physiology, including Dr. Bruce Verchere (UBC), a world leader in beta cell and islet macrophage biology and diabetes pathogenesis; Dr. Megan Levings (UBC), a world leader in human immunology, regulatory T cell biology, and T1D immunotherapy; and Dr. Jean Marshall (Dalhousie), a world expert in human mast cell biology. Together, this team provides an exceptional training environment at the interface of human immunology, genomics, and translational diabetes research.

 

Scientific Program

Innate immune cells are emerging as central regulators of islet homeostasis, autoimmunity, and tissue repair in type 1 diabetes (T1D). This program will generate a comprehensive, high-dimensional atlas of innate immune populations in the human T1D pancreas. The Postdoctoral Fellow will play a central role in building and integrating these datasets by defining innate immune cell heterogeneity using CITE-seq, mapping immune-endocrine cellular circuits using Xenium spatial transcriptomics, and integrating these data with multiplex histology and functional precision-cut human pancreas slice models. These complementary platforms will enable mechanistic dissection of immune-islet interactions in a physiologically relevant tissue context and support the identification of novel immune pathways and therapeutic targets in T1D.

 

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze CITE-seq experiments on human pancreas and islet samples
• Lead Xenium spatial transcriptomic studies, with a particular lens to NK cell and ILC-islet interactions, and integrate scRNA-seq, CITE-seq, and spatial datasets with collaborators
• Perform high-parameter immune phenotyping and functional assays
• Perform functional immune-islet co-culture and pancreas slice assays, and mechanistic dissection of molecular interactions governing NK cell and ILC functions.
• Contribute to manuscript and grant writing
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate trainees

 

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Immunology, Cell Biology, Genomics, or related discipline
• Experience with one or more of:

o    scRNA-seq / CITE-seq

o    Spatial transcriptomics (Xenium, Visium, CosMx, etc.) or multiplex imaging

o    High-parameter flow cytometry

o    Immune-engineering/genetic modulation of immune cells

o    Expertise in autoimmunity, transplantation, or islet biology

• Demonstrated publication record
• Strong computational or quantitative skills are an asset

 

Training Environment

This position is embedded in a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary research program with access to state-of-the-art platforms in single-cell genomics, spatial transcriptomics, and high-parameter cytometry. The fellow will gain hands-on expertise in human immunology, precision-cut human pancreas slice models, advanced flow cytometry and imaging, and translational immune cell platforms, enabling mechanistic dissection of immune-islet interactions in a physiologically relevant tissue context.

 

Through close integration with BC Cancer and UBC, the fellow will have access to specialized facilities and mentorship in immune engineering, cell manufacturing, preclinical modeling, and translational immunology. The training environment is further strengthened by a broad network of immunology and autoimmunity experts who collaborate closely with the Crome program. This integrated team approach ensures that fellows receive rigorous technical training alongside mentorship in experimental design, data integration, leadership, communication, and knowledge translation.

 

The BC Cancer Research Institute provides a dynamic and highly interactive training environment. Fellows benefit from weekly seminars by visiting scientists, departmental Work-in-Progress seminars at the Terry Fox Laboratory, and professional and social programming through the BC Cancer GrasPods society for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The fellow will be strongly supported in pursuing independent funding and positioned for faculty-level career development in academia, biotechnology, or clinical research.

 

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive training environment. We actively encourage applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds and provide mentorship tailored to a wide range of career aspirations.

 

The starting salary for this position would be determined with consideration of the successful candidate’s relevant education and experience but is anticipated to be between $60,000 and $70,000 per annum. Candidates are expected to apply for external peer-reviewed salary awards.

 

Application Instructions

• Cover letter describing research interests and career goals
• Curriculum vitae
• Contact information for 2–3 references

 

Applications should be submitted by email to:

Dr. Sarah Crome

Senior Scientist, Terry Fox Lab, BC Cancer

Associate Professor, Department of Medical Genetics, UBC

Email: scrome@bccrc.ca

 

Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.