What are the responsibilities and job description for the USDA-ARS Exploring Livestock Organoid Platforms for Molecular and Immunological Studies position at Zintellect?
*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis.
ARS Office/Lab and Location: This research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), located in Manhattan, Kansas.
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency with a mission to find solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. ARS will deliver cutting-edge, scientific tools and innovative solutions for American farmers, producers, industry, and communities to support the nourishment and well-being of all people; sustain our nation’s agroecosystems and natural resources; and ensure the economic competitiveness and excellence of our agriculture. The vision of the agency is to provide global leadership in agricultural discoveries through scientific excellence.
Research Project: This fellowship will provide the participant the opportunity to engage in hands-on research focused on developing and studying 3D cell culture systems and organoid models derived from the upper respiratory tract of major livestock species, including cattle and swine. These models represent cutting-edge tools for studying host-pathogen interactions in physiologically relevant environments that more closely resemble in-vivo tissue architecture and innate immune function. The project will focus on generating organoids that capture the cellular diversity and barrier properties of the bovine and porcine upper respiratory epithelium. Other tissues of interest may also be incorporated as the project evolves. The participant will make use of a combination of genetic, biochemical, and imaging-based approaches to define how these complex cultures develop, differentiate, and respond to external stimuli (i.e. antivirals, IFN, etc.). The participant will also engage in collaborative research activities to understand concepts of innate immune responses and virus-host interactions. This will include the collection, organization and analysis of experimental observations that describe organoid structure, gene expression patterns and cellular responses.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn to develop and maintain advanced 3D cell culture systems and organoid models derived from bovine and porcine upper respiratory tissues.
- Learn the biological principles of upper respiratory epithelial structure, cellular diversity, and barrier function in livestock species.
- Learn to apply genetic, biochemical, and imaging-based techniques to characterize organoid development, differentiation, and function.
- Learn to investigate host–pathogen interactions and innate immune responses using physiologically relevant in vitro models.
- Learn to evaluate organoid responses to external stimuli such as antivirals and interferons.
- Learn to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret complex datasets describing organoid structure, gene expression, and cellular responses within collaborative research settings.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Gisselle Medina (gisselle.medina@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: July 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds.
Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.
Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. The anticipated stipend range is $67,210 to $80,557 annually.
Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.
ORISE Information: This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and ARS. Participants do not become employees of USDA, ARS, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.
Questions: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process, please email ORISE.ARS.Plains@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Salary : $67,210 - $80,557