University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Postdoctoral Researcher – Immunology / Oral Biology Location: University of Pennsylvania - School of Dental Medicine Open Date: Jul 23, 2026 Deadline: The Ko Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to join an NIH-funded research program investigating host-microbe interactions at the oral epithelial barrier. Our research uses periodontitis as a model to understand how excess iron resulting from chronic inflammation alters epithelial and stromal cell function, promotes inflammatory cell death, and drives tissue destruction. We integrate genetically engineered mouse models, clinically derived human tissues, immunology, spatial and single-cell molecular profiling, and computational biology to uncover mechanisms linking iron-dependent cell death with chronic inflammatory disease. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work in a collaborative, multidisciplinary...