Postdoctoral Fellow – Dissecting the role of inflammasome activation in MDS

Postdoctoral Fellow – Dissecting the role of inflammasome activation in MDS

Location: Boston, MA (USA)

Competitive Salary, Bonus & Benefits Package

Introduction

Do you have expertise in, and passion for, inflammasome activation and its role in Myelodisplastic Syndromes (MDS)? Would you like to apply your knowledge to impact drug discovery projects in a company that follows science and turns ideas into life-changing medicines? Then join the Hematology R&D department at AstraZeneca as a Postdoctoral Fellow and unlock the power of what science can do!

About the Opportunity

This three-year fellowship offers a unique opportunity to conduct high-impact fundamental research within a premier industrial setting. You will investigate the complex interplay between chronic inflammation and Myeloid Dysplastic Syndrome (MDS), aiming to uncover novel mechanisms that drive disease progression and therapeutic resistance.

This project is supported by the Hematology R&D Small Molecular Discovery group of AstraZeneca that works across areas from early-stage drug discovery to late-stage clinical development. You will receive support from the AZ’s Bioinformatics Group and Sequencing Core to dissect the inflammasome-driven mechanisms underlying MDS development and translate these insights into transformative drug discovery efforts to deliver better therapies to patients.

Project Focus

This project will explore inflammasome-targeted strategies in MDS through in vitro and in vivo studies to enable novel drug development. The Postdoctoral Fellow will partner with cross-functional AZ scientists and closely aligned academic mentors to build advanced models, identify new targets and optimize therapeutics for improved efficacy and safety.

Your research will focus on how inflammatory signaling affects MDS cells both intrinsically and extrinsically. You will be at the forefront of:

• Characterizing inflammatory drivers of clonal evolution in MDS.
• Use innovative approaches to define how targeting inflammatory pathways alters myeloid signaling and disease biology in MDS cells.
• Translating bench-side discoveries into actionable therapeutic strategies.

The Postdoc role will report to Haiming Xu (Associate Principal Scientist), and be supported by Ye Xu (Associate Principal Scientist) and Sungmi Park-Chouinard (Associate Director) at AstraZeneca. Additionally, you'll also receive mentorship and guidance from exceptional academic mentors, Stephanie Halene, M.D., Arthur H. and Isabel Bunker Professor of Hematology, Yale University School of Medicine; Richard Flavell, PhD, FRS., Stering Professor of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine; and Gabriel Ghiaur, MD, PhD., Associate Professor of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine during the 3-year program.

Our Postdoctoral Fellow will investigate the role of inflammatory signaling in the pathogenesis and progression of MDS, focusing on both cell-intrinsic mechanisms and microenvironment-mediated effects.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement advanced in vitro and ex vivo assays to characterize inflammasome-mediated signaling pathways and their impact on myeloid cell differentiation.
• Collaborate with academic partners to assess disease kinetics and therapeutic efficacy in in vivo MDS patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models.
• Perform comprehensive integrative analysis of multi-omics datasets, including single-cell RNA sequencing, clonal barcode sequencing, and high-dimensional flow cytometry.
• Publish findings in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and present at international conferences.

Essential Education and Experience:

• Candidates must be within four years of receiving their doctoral degree (PhD or DVM), with the PhD already awarded; or
• Candidates who are nearing completion of their doctoral degree are eligible, provided the PhD is conferred within six months of joining AstraZeneca.
• Demonstrated expertise in inflammation biology, hematologic malignancies, or myeloid disease research.
• Education: Ph.D. in Immunology, Hematology, Cancer Biology, Molecular or Cell Biology, or a related field.
• In vivo expertise: Proven hands-on experience with MDS or AML PDX models, including tail-vein injections, bone marrow aspirates, and longitudinal monitoring of engraftment.
• In vitro Expertise: Deep technical proficiency in primary cell culture, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, functional immune assays and flow cytometry, biochemical assays, and imaging techniques.
• Proficient in working closely with bioinformaticians to drive integrative multi-omics data interpretation.
• Scientific Rigor: A strong track record of first-author publications in reputable journals.
• Communication: Excellent English communication skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• 0-4 years of working experience

About our PostDoc Program

Bring your expertise, apply your knowledge, follow the science, and make a difference. AstraZeneca’s Postdoc Program is for self-motivated individuals looking to deliver exciting projects in an encouraging, engaging, and innovative environment.

You will work in an industry-leading group to explore how inflammatory pathway activation drives the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). This is an exciting opportunity to work at the interface of innovative science and translational drug discovery, where mechanistic insights directly inform the development of novel therapeutics for patients with hematologic malignancies. You will employ pioneering technologies while collaborating with leading experts in inflammation biology, translational oncology, bioinformatics, and medicinal chemistry. This position offers early-career scientists unparalleled exposure to the full drug discovery pipeline, hands-on experience with advanced platforms and cross-functional teams, strong mentorship from industry and academic leaders, and the opportunity to generate impactful publications while contributing to programs that advance toward the clinic.

Compensation for this role, based on years of experience after obtaining PhD, is a minimum of $103,079 up to a maximum of $123,694 + short-term incentive. Some relocation supplements depend on distance and location at the employer's discretion.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-centered biopharmaceutical company focusing on discovering, developing, and commercializing prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we’re more than a global leading pharmaceutical company. At AstraZeneca, we're dedicated to being a Great Place to Work and empowering employees to push the boundaries of science and fuel their entrepreneurial spirit.

AstraZeneca R&D Boston in Waltham is a vibrant scientific community. The diverse make-up of our scientific teams, as well as our co-location with biotechs, results in a truly outstanding culture bursting with scientific innovation. As AstraZeneca continues to put patients at the forefront of our mission, we are excited for our move to Kendall Square/Cambridge in 2026. 

Find out more information here: Kendall Square Press Release

Where can I find out more?

AZ’s Postdoc Program: https://careers.astrazeneca.com/postdocs-astrazeneca

Life at AstraZeneca: https://careers.astrazeneca.com/life-at-astrazeneca

This is what we’re made of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmFx_jr2eFo&t=2s

#EarlyTalent

Date Posted

10-Mar-2026

Closing Date

Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.