Postdoctoral Research Associate_Huang Lab_Oral Biology

Hiring Department: Oral Biology

Location: Chicago, IL USA

Requisition ID: 1038758

Posting Close Date: 5/3/2026

Salary: The budgeted salary range for this position is $50000-$60000.

About The University Of Illinois Chicago

UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has over 300,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits . This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

Position Summary:

The Department of Oral Biology at the UIC College of Dentistry is looking for a Postdoctoral Fellow to carry out advanced research under the supervision of Dr. Chun-Chieh Huang. The position focuses on wound healing and exosome-mediated tissue regeneration, with particular emphasis on developing and characterizing biomaterial-based and molecular approaches that enhance tissue repair. The successful candidate will utilize both in vivo animal models and in vitro primary cell systems to study the biological mechanisms underlying extracellular vesicle (EV) signaling and their applications in regenerative medicine.

This position offers the opportunity to work in a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment involving materials science, cell biology, and translational medicine. This is a full-time, 12-month appointment, renewable annually based on performance and funding availability.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Principal Investigator and research team to design, plan, and execute research objectives within the scope of ongoing NIH-funded projects.
• Conduct experiments involving primary cell isolation, culture, and functional assays, as well as rodent models for tissue regeneration and wound healing.
• Develop, optimize, and implement both established and novel laboratory techniques and analytical methods.
• Maintain detailed and organized laboratory records, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and experimental data.
• Analyze and interpret research data; prepare figures, tables, and presentations for lab meetings, manuscripts, and grant proposals.
• Participate in manuscript preparation and submission to peer-reviewed journals.
• Present research findings at national and international scientific meetings.
• Train and mentor graduate students or research assistants in relevant experimental techniques.
• Ensure compliance with all institutional laboratory safety, animal care, and research ethics policies.
• Perform additional research-related duties as assigned by the Principal Investigator.
• Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in biomedical sciences, bioengineering, molecular biology, or a related field.
• Degree must have been awarded within the past three (3) years to qualify for postdoctoral appointment.
• Strong foundation in experimental design, data analysis, and interpretation of biological results.
• Demonstrated experience in core molecular and cell biology techniques, including: Primary cell culture, western blot, DNA/RNA extraction and purification, PCR and RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence staining
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a research environment.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience with rodent handling, surgical procedures, or in vivo tissue regeneration models.
• Skilled in primary cell isolation from animal tissues
• Experience with lentiviral vector preparation and transduction.
• Proficiency in fluorescence and confocal microscopy.
• Familiarity with cloning, gene-editing (CRISPR/Cas9), or reporter gene systems.
• Experience in biomaterials research or exosome biology.
• Experience in microfluidic channel–based vesicle fabrication and characterization.
  
  

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.