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UO
University of Virginia
Postdoctoral Researcher in Computational Biology and Machine Learning
Career Insights for Biologist (General)
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What they do
A Biologist studies plant and animal life and conducts research in one of many specialized areas. May observe and study different types of animals or plants and their habitats or ecosystems, or study cell biology or microorganisms, or research questions relating to human biology and health.
$84,161 / year median in Virginia
+9% projected growth
Job Description
The Chu Lab - Department of Genome Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine The Chu Lab ( www.tchulab.org ) in the Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine is seeking to fill Postdoctoral Researcher positions in computational biology and machine learning. The lab develops modern machine learning, generative modeling, and statistical learning frameworks to decipher single-cell and spatial transcriptomics data, with the goal of uncovering cellular and tissue dynamics underlying cancer, inflammation, and tissue senescence. Research directions. Successful candidates will lead one or more of the following ongoing projects:
- Developing neural differential equation and continuous-time dynamical models for spatial and single-cell transcriptomics to dissect cell-cell interactions and perturbation responses in complex tissue microenvironments.
- Building generative models of single-cell and spatial data to characterize cellular and tissue heterogeneity in cancer, inflammation, and tissue senescence.
- Developing next-generation deep-learning and statistical deconvolution methods for inferring gene regulation from bulk, single-cell, and spatial-omics data.
NIH K99/R00
Pathway to Independence Award (NHGRI) and substantial UVA institutional startup funding - providing a strongly resourced environment for ambitious, long-horizon methodological research. Mentorship and Career Development The Chu Lab is built on the philosophy of "Mentorship as Collaboration," where trainees are valued as scientific collaborators rather than assistants. As a postdoctoral scientist in a newly established lab, you will receive individualized mentorship tailored to your career goals, defined by genuine intellectual exchange, direct technical engagement in algorithm and model development, and shared co-ownership of the science.- Active Collaboration. The PI maintains an open-door policy, meets regularly with trainees, and is deeply involved to support their algorithm and model development.
- Scientific Independence. You will be supported to develop and lead your own research ideas with the freedom and computational resources required to pursue them.
- Grant Writing and Career Transition. Leveraging the PI's recent successful K99/R00 transition, you will receive step-by-step training in scientific writing, proposal preparation, and fellowship applications. Postdocs are supported and encouraged to apply for independent fellowships.
- Visibility.
- Strong foundational knowledge in mathematics and statistics
- Proficiency in PyTorch (or equivalent deep-learning frameworks)
- At least one peer-reviewed publication in the previous area of research (not necessarily biology-related)
- Genuine intellectual curiosity for solving biological problems through quantitative approaches
- Prior experience with spatial transcriptomics, single-cell omics, or related biological datasets is a plus but not required - candidates from purely computational backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply; domain-specific biological knowledge can be acquired on the job This is a 12-month appointment with the possibility of renewal contingent upon satisfactory performance and the availability of funding.