Academic

Job Category

Faculty Non Bargaining

Job Title

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Next-Generation Nanomedicine in UBC

Department

Research | Blakney | Michael Smith Laboratories | Faculty of Science (Anna Blakney)

Posting End Date

May 9, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

June 30, 2026

The expected pay for this position is $60,000 per year.

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Next-Generation Nanomedicine in UBC

The Michael Smith Laboratories at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow (PDF) to join a dynamic and multidisciplinary team under the co-supervision of Dr. Anna Blakney and Dr. Jay Kizhakkedathu. The successful candidate will work on a project developing new lipid and polymeric strategies for RNA delivery. The Blakney Lab at UBC (blakneylab.msl.ubc.ca) develops next-generation RNA vaccines and therapies based on self-amplifying RNA and using interdisciplinary approaches including bioengineering, immunology, molecular biology and bioinformatics. The Kizhakkedathu lab (https://cbr.ubc.ca/our-people/investigators/jayachandran-kizhakkedathu/) develops novel polymers and biomaterials as therapeutics and devices.

Project: RNA medicines have gained considerable momentum in the past few years with the approval of Onpattro and the COVID-19 messenger RNA vaccines. While lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are the state-of-the-art delivery system for RNA, we recently discovered that polymeric nanoparticles are less inflammatory and induce higher protein expression than LNPs. For this project, we are keen to explore the polymer and lipid design space for RNA delivery for a variety of applications. The PDF will work with the Blakney and Kizhakkedathu labs to design and synthesize novel polymers, lipid delivery systems, and test them for RNA delivery and immunogenicity in vivo in preclinical models. We anticipate that nanoparticles will be a clinically translatable delivery system for RNA therapeutics.

Candidate: We are hiring chemists with a background in polymer synthesis, organic chemistry, lipid synthesis, biomaterials and/or bioengineering. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in chemistry, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, or similar fields with excellent publication record. The candidate must be able to work well in a team environment, even in situations where an opportunity is more exciting and time-sensitive than normal. We are seeking a creative individual with great interpersonal skills and excellent communication, both written and verbal.

Opportunity: The PDF will be a member of a fun, diverse and interdisciplinary group. They will learn about RNA gene therapies and different aspects of its delivery. The successful candidate will be actively involved in projects that are intended for clinical translation. The University of British Columbia is located in Vancouver, which is world-renowned for its scenery and quality of living. UBC is a center of excellence for growing your career in nanomedicine and gene delivery technologies, and you will have opportunities to collaborate with world-class leaders in the field through the Nanomedicine Innovation Network.

The expected pay for this position is $60,000 per year.

The appointment will be for one year commencing July 1, 2025 with a possibility for extension, subject to satisfactory performance and funding.

Application Process: Interested applicants should submit a CV and cover letter that details their experience and contact details for 3 references. Applications should be submitted to the UBC Careers portal at https://ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/ubcfacultyjobs/job/Postdoctoral-Fellowship-in-Next-Generation-Nanomedicine_JR19982 no later than the posting date.

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.

This posting is for the UBC Vancouver campus in British Columbia, Canada.

Please refer to reference number EU-58498 during correspondence about this position. Please visit the researcher profiles of the supervisors (1, 2) for this position to learn more about their research.

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.

About UBC
The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world. Since 1915, UBC's entrepreneurial spirit has embraced innovation and challenged the status quo. UBC encourages its students, staff and faculty to challenge convention, lead discovery and explore new ways of learning. At UBC, bold thinking is given a place to develop into ideas that can change the world.

Postdoctoral Fellows at UBC Vancouver
UBC is home to over 900 postdocs spanning all faculties and units across two campuses and a variety of affiliated hospitals, research centres, and sites, providing unparalleled opportunities to learn, discover and contribute in one's own way. UBC's Postdoctoral Fellows Office (PDFO) is committed to supporting the lives and career aspirations of our Postdocs, with the goal of enriching their experience at UBC and preparing them for the future. In addition to providing support and advocacy for all postdocs, the PDFO is dedicated to providing professional development opportunities that foster the development of soft skills needed in today's professional environments, helping them secure future careers in their chosen fields.

About UBC's Faculty of Science
UBC Science brings together a community of scholars internationally recognized for its commitment to discovery and innovation—in the lab and in the classroom. Our faculty conduct top-tier research in the life, physical, earth and computational sciences, driving insights into sustainability, biodiversity, human health, nanoscience, new materials, probability, artificial intelligence, exoplanets and more. Ranked among the world's top 40 universities, UBC's research prowess in environmental science, math, physics, plant and animal science, computer science, geology, oceanography and biology is consistently rated best in Canada by international and national rankings.

About Vancouver
Vancouver is a dynamic, cosmopolitan and progressive city, consistently ranked as one of the top cities to live in the world. Canada's third largest city has it all: sea, parks, mountains, beaches, and four seasons per year, including beautiful summers and mild, wet winters with snow in the mountains. It's the perfect backdrop to your academic research.