The De Vlaminck Laboratory in the Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) is seeking a creative, computationally driven Postdoctoral Associate to help invent the next generation of liquid biopsy technologies. The De Vlaminck Lab (https://devlaminck.bme.cornell.edu) works at the intersection of molecular engineering, genomics, and computational biology, and develops precision medicine technologies, several already in clinical use, for infectious, immune, and microbiome-associated diseases.
This position centers on cell-free RNA (cfRNA) liquid biopsy, a rapidly emerging technology that reads dynamic, tissue-resolved signals of human physiology and disease from a tube of blood. The successful candidate will lead the development of new computational and AI-driven concepts for cfRNA analysis, working at the interface of wet lab, dry lab, and the clinic. We are especially excited to hear from candidates eager to invent new tools, wetlab approaches for circulating nucleic acids, interpretable machine learning for biomarker discovery, and methods we haven’t imagined yet, and to see those tools deployed in real patient cohorts.
Responsibilities
- Design wet-lab experiments for isolation, library preparation, and sequencing of cell-free DNA and RNA from clinical biofluid samples
- Conceive, prototype, and benchmark new computational and AI methods for liquid biopsy, including techniques to bridge to other data modalities, e.g. imaging
- Apply modern machine learning to extract previously hidden biological signals from circulating nucleic acids
- Develop novel molecular assays to extract rich biological information from cfDNA/cfRNA
- Build and apply computational pipelines for the analysis of cfDNA/cfRNA sequencing data
- Integrate multi-omic cfDNA/cfRNA data with clinical phenotypes to identify and validate biomarkers of inflammatory disease
- Collaborate with clinical and translational partners on patient cohort studies that put new methods to the test
- Lead first-author publications, present at major conferences, and help mentor PhD and undergraduate trainees in the lab
Qualifications
Required:
- PhD in Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering, Computer Science, Biophysics, Computational Biology, Molecular Biology, Genomics, or a related field
- Proficiency in computational data analysis and experience handling large datasets
- A track record of scientific creativity and productivity, evidenced by peer-reviewed publications, preprints, or open-source tools
- Excellent communication skills and genuine enthusiasm for working at the wet/dry-lab interface alongside experimentalists, clinicians, and trainees
Preferred:
- Experience with cfDNA/cfRNA, single-cell or bulk RNA-seq, or other liquid biopsy / clinical genomics modalities
- Background in immunology or inflammatory disease
- Experience with machine learning methods applied to large data
- Background in immunology, infectious disease, or inflammatory disease biology
About Cornell and the De Vlaminck Lab
Cornell University is an Ivy League institution located in Ithaca, NY. The Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering offers a highly collaborative research environment with strong connections to Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. . The De Vlaminck Lab is an interdisciplinary team of engineers, biologists, and data scientists united by a passion for precision medicine. Our work has produced clinical tools now in use at hospitals across the United States, and we aim to develop the next generation of liquid biopsy technologies to address unmet needs in inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases.
How to Apply
Qualified applicants should submit 1) a cover letter briefly summarizing background, qualifications, and interest in the position, 2) a Curriculum Vitae, and 3) names and contact information for three references.
Materials should be submitted online at: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/32053. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Inquiries may be directed to: Professor Iwijn De Vlaminck, [email protected]
Pay Range:
$62,232.00 - $88,745.00
Pay Ranges:
The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:
Prior relevant work or industry experience.
Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.
Academic Discipline
Unique applicable skills.
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2026-08-04
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