Postdoctoral Scientist – Inner Ear Research & Cochlear Gene Therapy – Otolaryngology

Principal Investigator Dr. Volkan Ergin is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to join the Ergin Lab in the Department of Otolaryngology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Effective gene therapies require both efficient delivery vehicles and well-designed therapeutic cargos. The Ergin Lab addresses these challenges by engineering next-generation AAV vectors for targeted gene delivery to cochlear cell populations and developing innovative genetic cargo designs for inherited and acquired forms of hearing loss.

A substantial portion of this role involves hands-on animal research, including mouse models of acquired hearing loss, cochlear microsurgery, therapeutic delivery, and auditory functional testing. The position offers a unique opportunity to gain expertise across multiple disciplines, spanning gene therapy, synthetic biology, high-throughput screenings, and translational therapeutic development.

Dr. Ergin brings experience from both academia and industry, providing valuable mentorship for trainees interested in academic careers, industry positions, or entrepreneurial ventures. Postdoctoral fellows will be encouraged to pursue independent funding opportunities, including NIH K99/R00 awards and other career development mechanisms.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• May assist in the preparation of grant proposals, but is not responsible for generating grant funds.
• May participate in publications and presentations as author or co-author.
• Designs and performs experiments. Will keep appropriate experimental records and documentation and analyze the results with the P.I.
• Analyzes, interprets, summarizes and compiles data.

Operates and maintains equipment and instruments

Education:

PhD, MD, MD/PhD, VMD, or equivalent doctoral degree in a relevant field.

Highly preferred experience:

Perform mouse breeding, colony management, husbandry, and experimental planning.

Conduct cochlear surgeries, therapeutic delivery, cochlear dissections, tissue preparation, and phenotypic analyses in adult mice.

Perform cochlear injection techniques in adult mice, including round window membrane (RWM) injection and canalostomy.

Conduct functional hearing testing, including Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE).

Research experience in inner ear biology and hearing research

Experience working with mouse models under IACUC-approved protocols

Experience performing functional hearing assessments, including ABR and DPOAE

Hands-on experience with cochlear injection techniques

Demonstrated ability to design experiments, analyze data, and communicate scientific findings effectively.

Experience with noise-induced, age-related, or ototoxicity-induced hearing loss models is desirable.

Interested candidates should submit:

• CV

• A cover letter describing previous research experience, particularly in inner ear research, and outlining long-term career goals