The Wu Lab at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (Department of Food Science) is seeking a highly motivated PhD student with a full research assistantship to join our team in Spring 2026. Our research focuses on Functional Foods, Precision Nutrition, and Gut Microbiome.
Projects in the lab include, but are not limited to:
- Investigating sex-specific mechanisms in obesity-associated colorectal cancer (CRC) and dietary prevention strategies
- Exploring the interactions between diet and physical activity in the development of metabolic dysfunction
- Understanding the role of the gut microbiome and microbial metabolites in the nutritional prevention of chronic diseases
- Advancing the translational potential of findings through cutting-edge 3D ex vivo models (e.g., organoids)
Requirements:
- A bachelor's or master's degree (or equivalent) in food science, nutrition, molecular biology, biochemistry, biology, animal science, microbiology, kinesiology, or a related field
- Strong experience with preclinical models (e.g., animal/rodent models, cell and organoid cultures)
- Solid training in molecular biology and biochemical techniques (e.g., qPCR, Western blot, ELISA, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry)
- Experience in omics data analysis (e.g., microbiome, metabolomics, or transcriptomics)
- A record of scientific presentations and/or publications
- High motivation to work in a multidisciplinary, collaborative environment
- Proficiency in English (written and spoken)
If you are interested, please send your resume to Dr. Xian Wu @email.