Research Fellow - Su Lab

Please email the following materials to yujuansu@umich.

edu:

Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) Cover letter describing research interests, relevant experience and skillsets, and fit with the lab Names and full contact information for three references We are seeking a talented and highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to join our team. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive research environment that values open communication, collaboration, and scientific curiosity. We welcome applicants from diverse scientific backgrounds with a strong interest in our research program. Candidates with expertise in neuroscience, body-brain communication, physiology, lung biology or immunology are especially encouraged to apply. Individuals without direct experience in these areas but with strong publication records and high motivation will also be considered. Review of applications will start immediately and continue until the position is filled. This position is one year term limited with possibility of renewal based on performance, availability of work, and continued funding. What We Offer We are dedicated to supporting the growth and success of our trainees through: Interdisciplinary training spanning neuroscience and lung biology. Mentorship tailored to individual career goals. A collaborative, inclusive, and supportive lab environment. Lab Overview We study body-brain crosstalk in health and disease, with a particular focus on the lung brain axis as a model for interoception, a fundamental biological process through which the nervous system senses and responds to the internal state of the body. The lung is more than a respiratory organ, it is a dynamic sensory interface that continuously communicates with the brain. Our research investigates how signals originating in the lung are detected, encoded, and transformed through defined neural circuits to regulate physiology and behavior, and how these circuits are remodeled in disease. This interdisciplinary work lies at the interface of neuroscience, physiology, and molecular and cellular biology. To address these questions, our laboratory employs an integrative approach combining neural circuit mapping, single-cell profiling, optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulation, electrophysiology, whole-animal physiology, and behavioral analysis. This multi-level strategy enables us to dissect mechanisms across molecular, cellular, circuit, and functional scales. Ultimately, our goal is to define fundamental principles of lung-brain communication and translate this knowledge into targeted neuromodulatory strategies for disease treatment. Principal Investigator Dr. Yujun Su is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Michigan. The department offers a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment with strong support for career development. Dr. Su received her Ph.D. in neuroscience from the Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, where she demonstrated that Sonic Hedgehog signaling mediates the therapeutic effects of deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease. She completed her postdoctoral training in the Department of Pediatrics at UC San Diego, where she pioneered a new direction in the lab and identified the first complete neuroimmune circuit linking lung inflammation to brainstem processing and finally airway constriction, a key mechanism in asthma pathophysiology. Her work advances the concept of the lung as a sensory organ and opens new avenues for targeted neuromodulation therapies. She has authored multiple first and co-first author publications in leading journals, including Nature, Immunity, Physiology, Neuroscience Bulletin, Am J Physiol, Sci. Rep., and others, and has received several prestigious awards, including the Parker B. Francis Fellowship, American Heart Association Career Development Award, and the Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind Innovative Research Award, reflecting the broad impact of her work across pulmonary biology, physiology, and neuroscience. For more information about the lab, please visit: https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/su-lab/ PhD in a related field is required. The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended. The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.