Dr. Kotdaji Ha is recruiting a creative, collaborative, and highly independent postdoctoral associate to lead new research projects in her lab at the University of Pittsburgh. The ideal start date will be late January or February of 2026, and applications will be received through November 2025.

The Ha lab studies the physiology of organellar ion channels to uncover how their defects contribute to disease mechanisms within organelles such as primary cilia and endoplasmic reticulum. We are particularly interested in understanding the physiological functions of ciliary ion channels across diverse organ systems, including the liver, kidney, and brain. To address these questions, we integrate electrophysiology, calcium imaging, advanced genetic and molecular approaches, organoid models, and machine learning-based analysis.

Projects will be tailored to the interests of the successful candidate within the following research themes:

1. How do primary cilia contribute to kidney function?

2. What drives cyst formation in the kidney organoid?

3. What are the ER ion channels really doing?

4. Can AI learn to patch-clamp and simulate channel function?

5. Why do liver cilia matter in cystic diseases?

Duties or Responsibilities:

Spend full-time conducting research in collaboration with your mentor

Participate in regular research project meetings with your team

Publish in level journals and NIH or other postdoctoral training grants

Required qualifications:

M.D or Ph.D in Biology or a related discipline

Proficiency with standard molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, and bioinformatics techniques.

Preferred qualifications:

Expertise in electrophysiology and biophysical experiments

Proficiency with CRISPR-based genome editing

Experienced with Python, or R