Postdoctoral Researcher - Mitochondrial Energetics and Nutrient Utilization (MENU) Lab at Louisiana State University (LSU) in LSU - Pennington Biomedical

Job description

• Pennington Biomedical Research Center, a world-renowned academic research institute of Louisiana State University, is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Mitochondrial Energetics and Nutrient Utilization (MENU) Laboratory.
• The Postdoctoral Researcher will conduct advanced, independent, and collaborative research focused on clinical dietetics, precision nutrition and underlying biological mechanisms underlying the relationships between diet and health. This position is responsible for designing and executing innovative research studies, analyzing and interpreting complex experimental data, with particular focus on multi-omics platforms and bioinformatics, and disseminating findings through peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations. The Postdoctoral Researcher mentors students and research staff, collaborates with multidisciplinary investigators, and supports the laboratory's overall research mission while ensuring compliance with institutional, regulatory, and laboratory safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and conduct independent and collaborative research studies investigating the physiological mechanisms underlying diet-health and diet-disease relationships using advanced experimental approaches.
• Analyze high dimensional datasets utilizing modern bioinformatics techniques, especially pertaining to metabolic and nutrient utilization pathways.
• Plan, execute, troubleshoot, and optimize complex metabolic assessment techniques, including hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps, oral glucose tolerance tests and mixed meal tolerance tests.
• Design and implement research studies involving analyzing large-scale datasets on diet and health e.g. NHANES and other specialized databases necessary to achieve research objectives.
• Plan, execute, troubleshoot, and optimize complex laboratory techniques, including mass spectrometry, molecular biology, protein analysis, histological and immunohistochemical methods, metabolic assays, and other specialized techniques necessary to achieve research objectives.
• Collect, process, and analyze biological specimens, including blood, breath, tissue, and cultured cells, ensuring sample integrity and adherence to established laboratory, biosafety, and quality assurance procedures.
• Analyze, interpret, and integrate complex experimental data using appropriate statistical methods and scientific software to generate meaningful conclusions and identify future research directions.
• Prepare manuscripts, abstracts, scientific reports, and presentations for publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentation at local, national, and international scientific conferences.
• Contribute to the development of grant proposals, fellowship applications, progress reports, and other sponsored research activities by generating preliminary data, drafting scientific content, and assisting with research planning.
• Collaborate with principal investigators, faculty, clinicians, and multidisciplinary research teams to develop innovative research strategies, establish new methodologies, and advance the overall scientific goals of the laboratory and institution.
• Mentor graduate students, research associates, technicians, and other trainees by providing scientific guidance, technical instruction, and oversight of laboratory activities while fostering a collaborative research environment.
• Maintain accurate, comprehensive, and well-organized research records, ensuring compliance with institutional policies, funding agency requirements, laboratory safety regulations, and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), where applicable.
• Assist with laboratory management activities, including maintenance and calibration of research equipment, inventory management, protocol development, regulatory documentation, and implementation of quality control procedures to support efficient laboratory operations.
• Remain current with emerging scientific literature, technological advances, and best practices nutrition, metabolism, and related disciplines by participating in laboratory meetings, seminars, journal clubs, professional development activities, and scientific conferences.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• PhD in nutrition, physiology, or closely related biomedical discipline.
• Two (2) years of experience conducting independent laboratory research in nutrition, metabolism, or related biomedical discipline, which can include internships, academic research, or work in a clinical or research lab setting.
• Proficiency in a variety of molecular, cellular, biochemical, and physiological laboratory techniques, with the ability to develop, optimize, and troubleshoot experimental protocols.
• Experience analyzing and interpreting complex scientific data using appropriate statistical methods and scientific software, with a focus on bioinformatics.
• Record of scholarly achievement, including peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations commensurate with career stage.
• Knowledge of experimental design, research methodology, and scientific principles applicable to translational or basic biomedical research.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a multidisciplinary research team.
• Strong scientific writing, verbal communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to prepare manuscripts, reports, and grant-related materials.
• Experience in mentoring or training students, research staff, or laboratory personnel is preferred.
• Commitment to maintaining compliance with laboratory safety procedures, institutional policies, and applicable regulatory and funding agency requirements.
• Clinical dietetics, human nutrition and metabolism, and bioinformatics related to plasma metabolomics and multi-omics platforms.

Skills

Required

• Focus on bioinformatics