Princeton University Bioengineering PhD/Postdoc/PostBac opportunities
7830
The Jiang Lab is opening in Princeton University's Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute in June 2026. We combine synthetic biology with machine learning models to program mammalian cells for both understanding fundamental molecular mechanisms of disease and homeostasis and engineering novel therapeutic approaches against cancer, autoimmune disorders and aging. We are recruiting at all levels including graduate students, research associates and postdoctoral candidates.
About Dr. Jiang:
Dr. Kaiyi Jiang currently serves as the inaugural Amgen Science Fellow under the mentorship of Dr. Howard Chang, where he leads a group in using deep learning and synthetic biology approaches to engineer peptide and antibody therapeutics. He completed his Ph.D. in Biological Engineering at MIT, developing technologies in RNA-guided systems, protein engineering, and synthetic biology under the guidance of Drs. Omar Abudayyeh, Jonathan Gootenberg, and Michael Birnbaum, where he developed tools like RADARS, Craspase, and EVOLVEpro. Previously, he did his undergraduate studies at Rice University, where he worked with Dr. Caleb Bashor on post-translational protein circuits for mammalian cell programming. His research has been published in flagship journals including Science, Nature, Nature Biotechnology, and Science Advances. His innovative approaches have earned him recognition as an MIT Technology Review Innovator Under 35 (TR35) and recipient of the prestigious Wishnok Prize from MIT and multiple startups were formed based on his work.
Representative work:
1. Jiang, K.*, Yan, Z.*, Bernardo, MD.*, Sgrizzi, S.R., Villiger, L., Kayabolen, A., Kim, B., Carscadden, J.K., Hiraizumi, M., Nishimasu, H., Gootebnerg, J.S., Abudayyeh, O.O. (2025). Rapid in silico directed evolution by a protein language model with EVOLVEpro. Science.
2. Jiang, K.*, Koob, J.*, Chen, X.D.*, Krajeski, R.N.*, Zhang, Y., Volf, V., Zhou, W., Sgrizzi, S.R., Villiger, L., Gootenberg, J.S., Chen, F., Abudayyeh, O.O. (2023). Programmable eukaryotic protein synthesis with RNA sensors by harnessing ADAR. Nature Biotechnology.
3. Jiang, K.*, Lim, J.*, Sgrizzi, S.R., Trinh, M., Kayabolen, A., Yutin, N., Bao, W., Kato, K., Koonin, E., Gootenberg, J.S., Abudayyeh, O.O. (2023). Programmable RNA-guided DNA endonucleases are widespread in eukaryotes. Science Advances.
4. Kato, K.*, Okazaki, S.*, Schmitt-Ulms, C.*, Jiang, K.*, Zhou, W., Ishikawa, J., Isayama, Y., Adachi, S., Nishizawa, T., Makarova, K.S., et al. (2022). RNA-triggered protein cleavage and cell death by the RNA-guided type III-E CRISPR-Cas nuclease-protease complex. Science.
5. Yang, X., Rocks, JW., Jiang, K., Walters, AJ., Rai, K., Liu, J., Nguyen, J., Olson, SD., Mehta, P., Collins, JJ., Daringer, NM., Bashor, CJ. (2025). Engineering synthetic phosphorylation signaling networks in human cells. Science.
Research Focus:
The Jiang Lab integrates synthetic biology with computational methods to develop next-generation tools for cellular engineering and therapeutic interventions. Our research program encompasses four complementary directions:
Princeton's Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute (ODBI):
Princeton University's ODBI provides an exceptional environment for interdisciplinary research at the intersection of engineering and biology. The institute features a collaborative atmosphere, state-of-the-art facilities, and a commitment to addressing significant challenges in human health and medicine. Princeton's strategic location offers strong connections to pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, creating valuable opportunities for translational research and industry partnerships.
Application Process:
Interested candidates should submit the following materials to 1point3acres.com with the subject line "2026 Fall Application–[Post]- [Your Name]":
Become part of a dynamic and innovative research environment dedicated to advancing biotechnology for improved human health. We value creativity, collaboration, and a commitment to scientific excellence.
Open Positions
Postdoctoral Fellows
We seek motivated, independent researchers with expertise in molecular biology, protein engineering, synthetic biology, and machine learning. Successful candidates will lead independent projects while fostering cross-disciplinary collaborations.
PhD Students
We welcome creative and driven PhD candidates interested in developing transformative technologies at the biology-engineering-computation interface. Students with backgrounds in biological engineering, molecular biology, computer science, or related fields are encouraged to apply through either the ODBI bioengineering PhD program or the molecular biology PhD program.
Research Assistants
We are recruiting talented research staff with strong technical capabilities and experience in molecular biology techniques. Ideal candidates will contribute to establishing laboratory operations while participating in research initiatives.
About Dr. Jiang:
Dr. Kaiyi Jiang currently serves as the inaugural Amgen Science Fellow under the mentorship of Dr. Howard Chang, where he leads a group in using deep learning and synthetic biology approaches to engineer peptide and antibody therapeutics. He completed his Ph.D. in Biological Engineering at MIT, developing technologies in RNA-guided systems, protein engineering, and synthetic biology under the guidance of Drs. Omar Abudayyeh, Jonathan Gootenberg, and Michael Birnbaum, where he developed tools like RADARS, Craspase, and EVOLVEpro. Previously, he did his undergraduate studies at Rice University, where he worked with Dr. Caleb Bashor on post-translational protein circuits for mammalian cell programming. His research has been published in flagship journals including Science, Nature, Nature Biotechnology, and Science Advances. His innovative approaches have earned him recognition as an MIT Technology Review Innovator Under 35 (TR35) and recipient of the prestigious Wishnok Prize from MIT and multiple startups were formed based on his work.
Representative work:
1. Jiang, K.*, Yan, Z.*, Bernardo, MD.*, Sgrizzi, S.R., Villiger, L., Kayabolen, A., Kim, B., Carscadden, J.K., Hiraizumi, M., Nishimasu, H., Gootebnerg, J.S., Abudayyeh, O.O. (2025). Rapid in silico directed evolution by a protein language model with EVOLVEpro. Science.
2. Jiang, K.*, Koob, J.*, Chen, X.D.*, Krajeski, R.N.*, Zhang, Y., Volf, V., Zhou, W., Sgrizzi, S.R., Villiger, L., Gootenberg, J.S., Chen, F., Abudayyeh, O.O. (2023). Programmable eukaryotic protein synthesis with RNA sensors by harnessing ADAR. Nature Biotechnology.
3. Jiang, K.*, Lim, J.*, Sgrizzi, S.R., Trinh, M., Kayabolen, A., Yutin, N., Bao, W., Kato, K., Koonin, E., Gootenberg, J.S., Abudayyeh, O.O. (2023). Programmable RNA-guided DNA endonucleases are widespread in eukaryotes. Science Advances.
4. Kato, K.*, Okazaki, S.*, Schmitt-Ulms, C.*, Jiang, K.*, Zhou, W., Ishikawa, J., Isayama, Y., Adachi, S., Nishizawa, T., Makarova, K.S., et al. (2022). RNA-triggered protein cleavage and cell death by the RNA-guided type III-E CRISPR-Cas nuclease-protease complex. Science.
5. Yang, X., Rocks, JW., Jiang, K., Walters, AJ., Rai, K., Liu, J., Nguyen, J., Olson, SD., Mehta, P., Collins, JJ., Daringer, NM., Bashor, CJ. (2025). Engineering synthetic phosphorylation signaling networks in human cells. Science.
Research Focus:
The Jiang Lab integrates synthetic biology with computational methods to develop next-generation tools for cellular engineering and therapeutic interventions. Our research program encompasses four complementary directions:
- Discovering and developing novel programmable systems for cell state sensing and manipulation
- Advancing protein and RNA engineering through collecting high throughput functional data and training foundation models
- Building synthetic biology platforms for precise in vivo recording and lineage tracing to understand cancer evolution and autoimmune disorders
- Developing innovative gene and cell therapies targeting autoimmune diseases and aging
Princeton's Omenn-Darling Bioengineering Institute (ODBI):
Princeton University's ODBI provides an exceptional environment for interdisciplinary research at the intersection of engineering and biology. The institute features a collaborative atmosphere, state-of-the-art facilities, and a commitment to addressing significant challenges in human health and medicine. Princeton's strategic location offers strong connections to pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, creating valuable opportunities for translational research and industry partnerships.
Application Process:
Interested candidates should submit the following materials to 1point3acres.com with the subject line "2026 Fall Application–[Post]- [Your Name]":
- CV/resume including publication list
- Research statement outlining interests and career objectives (1-2 pages)
- Contact information for three professional references
Become part of a dynamic and innovative research environment dedicated to advancing biotechnology for improved human health. We value creativity, collaboration, and a commitment to scientific excellence.
Open Positions
Postdoctoral Fellows
We seek motivated, independent researchers with expertise in molecular biology, protein engineering, synthetic biology, and machine learning. Successful candidates will lead independent projects while fostering cross-disciplinary collaborations.
PhD Students
We welcome creative and driven PhD candidates interested in developing transformative technologies at the biology-engineering-computation interface. Students with backgrounds in biological engineering, molecular biology, computer science, or related fields are encouraged to apply through either the ODBI bioengineering PhD program or the molecular biology PhD program.
Research Assistants
We are recruiting talented research staff with strong technical capabilities and experience in molecular biology techniques. Ideal candidates will contribute to establishing laboratory operations while participating in research initiatives.
