NYU Langone Health - Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Rheumatology, Najjar Lab

NYU Langone Health - Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Rheumatology, Najjar Lab

Position Summary

Join the Najjar Lab at an exciting moment of scientific momentum. Dr. Najjar’s research on splicing generated neoantigens in autoimmunity was published in Nature in October 2026, reflecting the lab’s innovative contributions to understanding autoimmune pathogenesis. We are recruiting talented, curious, and highly collaborative team members who are eager to pursue high-impact research at the intersection of computational biology, genomics, immunology, and rheumatology.

The Najjar Lab offers an intellectually rigorous and supportive environment for scientists seeking to advance their academic research careers. Team members are encouraged to develop scientific independence, engage in interdisciplinary collaborations, and contribute to ambitious research programs that challenge prevailing assumptions in autoimmune disease.

Our work addresses fundamental unanswered questions in autoimmunity. In dermatomyositis, persistently elevated type I interferon activity has long been attributed to a presumed viral trigger, despite decades of unsuccessful efforts to identify a causative pathogen. Our research instead provides evidence that endogenous double-stranded RNA may activate innate RNA-sensing pathways and drive interferon production. This work opens a potential path toward understanding one of the field’s central questions: why autoantibodies form.

We are also advancing an evidence-based hypothesis that cryptic splicing can generate previously unseen peptides that act as neoantigens and initiate immune responses. This framework offers a new perspective on autoimmunity—one in which immune dysfunction may arise not solely from an intrinsically abnormal immune system, but from the emergence of novel self-derived targets.

Led by Dr. Rayan Najjar, a physician-scientist specializing in autoimmune myositis, the lab integrates clinical expertise, a specimen biorepository, and discovery-focused research. This close connection between patient care and laboratory investigation helps ensure that our scientific questions are clinically grounded and oriented toward improving future therapies.

We are intentional about building a culture of scientific inquiry, intellectual rigor, and constructive challenge. Join us to question dogma, tackle difficult problems, develop and test innovative hypotheses, and help move the field of autoimmunity forward.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Position Description

We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow with expertise in computational biology, bioinformatics, genomics, biostatistics, or a closely related quantitative discipline to join a collaborative and innovative research program focused on rheumatologic autoimmune diseases.

The successful candidate will play a leading role in computationally driven research projects aimed at generating new biological insights and testing novel hypotheses related to autoimmune pathogenesis. This position offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of immunology, genomics, and data science, with applications spanning multiple domains of biology, including alternative splicing, transposable elements, and innate immune sensing.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to research projects focused on rheumatologic autoimmune diseases
• Develop, refine, and test novel hypotheses using computational and bioinformatics approaches
• Analyze and interpret complex, high-dimensional genomic datasets, which may include:
  • Bulk transcriptomics
  • Single-cell transcriptomics
  • Spatial transcriptomics
  • Epigenomic datasets
  • DNA sequencing data
• Apply computational methods to investigate diverse biological mechanisms relevant to autoimmune disease
• Serve as a major contributor to the lab’s computational research efforts
• Independently lead 1–2 primary research projects and contribute to additional collaborative projects across the research group
• Work closely with interdisciplinary collaborators to integrate computational findings with biological and clinical questions
• Assist in the preparation of manuscripts, presentations, and other scholarly outputs

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Genomics, Biostatistics, or a related field
• Strong computational background with demonstrated experience in genomic or transcriptomic data analysis
• Proven track record of peer-reviewed publications
• Ability to work independently while also contributing effectively in a collaborative team environment
• Strong analytical, organizational, and scientific communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with one or more of the following data types:
  • Single-cell omics
  • Spatial omics
  • Epigenomic profiling
  • DNA sequencing
• Interest in immunology, rheumatology, or autoimmune disease biology
• Experience developing or applying methods for large-scale biological data analysis.

Scholarly and Divisional Engagement

In addition to research responsibilities, the Postdoctoral Research Fellow will be expected to actively participate in divisional academic activities, including:

• Journal club meetings
• Rheumatology grand rounds
• Other seminars, research discussions, and collaborative activities as appropriate

To Apply

Please email the following documents:

• a 1-page cover letter describing your computational experience, career objectives and research interests
• a CV with a list of publications (max. 3 pages)
• a list of three references.