Postdoctoral Researcher

The Le Pen Lab is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to join our research on innate immunity to RNA viruses. The position is funded by the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (DP2), Next-Generation Interferons: Mapping and Engineering Antiviral Function (NIAID, 2026–2031). https://hsph.harvard.edu/research/le-pen-lab/Our researchWe seek to explain a fundamental paradox in human disease: why common viral infections cause little harm in most individuals yet lead to life-threatening or chronic disease in others. We investigate the cell-intrinsic mechanisms of innate immunity that enable cells to detect viruses, limit infection, and resolve immune activation once the pathogen has been cleared.We focus on long-lived, irreplaceable cell types such as neurons and pancreatic β cells, which, unlike epithelial cells, must survive infection while keeping their specialized functions. Two questions organize the work:How do infected cells control viral replication while preserving the functions required for normal tissue function?How are antiviral and inflammatory responses actively shut down once a threat has been eliminated?The DP2 projectInterferon fails in opposite directions: too weak, and ordinary viruses become lethal; too strong or too prolonged, and it drives inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The project attempts to uncouple the wanted and the undesired effects of interferon, combining human genetics, functional screening and biochemistry.The fellow will take on a substantial part of this program, with scope to develop a research direction that is original but fits the aims of the award and the priorities of the group.The environmentThe DP2 runs until 2031, giving the project a long funding horizon to start from, and we expect it to bring in further grants as it develops.The lab was established in December 2024, with dedicated space, BSL-2+ and BSL-3 access, and exceptional institutional cores and scientific environment on the Harvard medical campus in Longwood. The successful candidate will help shape its direction and culture.We sit in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard Chan, with a secondary affiliation with the Harvard Medical School Department of Microbiology and membership of the Harvard Program in Virology. Fellows are supported in attending conferences, giving talks, writing proposals and mentoring.Basic qualificationsPh.D. in a relevant field (immunology, virology, genetics, molecular biology, structural biology or related).Strong skills in experimental design, data analysis, and oral and written communication.Proficiency in standard cell culture and molecular biology techniques.Highly creative, able to work independently and collaboratively.Additional qualificationsProven success in publishing research papers.Expertise in interferon biology, innate immunity or virology is a plus.Expertise in structural biology is a plus.Expertise in bioinformatics is a plus.Salary rangePostgraduate year 0: $70,000Postgraduate year 1: $72,100Postgraduate year 2: $74,263Postgraduate year 3: $76,491Postgraduate year 4: $78,786Postgraduate year 5: $81,149Postgraduate year 6: $83,583Postgraduate year 7+: $86,091To applyEmail Jérémie Le Pen at jlepen@hsph.harvard.edu with a CV, a letter of interest, and the names, email addresses and relationship to you of at least three references, one of whom should be your PhD supervisor.Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard’s academic purposes.Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy (https://pa-hrsuite-production.s3.amazonaws.com/606/docs/1678254.pdf) that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university’s non-discrimination policy (https://pa-hrsuite-production.s3.amazonaws.com/606/docs/1674140.pdf). Harvard’s equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.