Position: Postdoctoral Fellow – Macrophage Biology / Immunology

Full/Part Time: Full Time

Investigator: Aikawa, Masanori

Date Posted: 2025-04-14

Description:

The Center for Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular Sciences (CICS) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow with a strong background in macrophage biology or immunology. Under the direction of Dr. Masanori Aikawa, the center integrates cutting-edge science with translational approaches to advance cardiovascular medicine. Our main research focus is target discovery for inflammatory vascular disease. We use a systems approach, involving innovative technologies such as multi-omics, single cell analysis, network analysis, and machine learning.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will engage in projects exploring the role of immune mechanisms in vascular diseases, with opportunities for innovation and scientific growth in a world-class research environment.
To apply, please send a cover letter, CV, and contact information for three references to:
Masanori Aikawa, MD, PhD, maikawa@bwh.harvard.edu

Requirements:

We invite applications from highly motivated individuals with:
• A PhD, MD, or equivalent degree in immunology, cell biology, or a related field
• Demonstrated expertise in macrophage biology, innate immunity, or inflammatory mechanisms
• A strong publication record and experience in experimental techniques relevant to immunology
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively and independently in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment

Research Environment:

In December 2009, we launched CICS within the Cardiovascular Division of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, in collaboration with the Japanese pharmaceutical company Kowa. This unique academia-industry partnership was designed to accelerate the discovery of new therapies by integrating the traditionally separate phases of target discovery and drug development. Typically, academic labs identify therapeutic targets but lack drug development expertise, while pharmaceutical companies begin their work only after years of academic research—resulting in a lengthy and fragmented process. To address this, we established a new paradigm of fully-integrated drug discovery research, enabling a seamless and rapid transition from target identification to clinical development. Our goal is to bring novel therapies to patients faster, and our success is reflected in numerous high-impact publications, as well as awards received by our leadership and fellows.