Join the Research Team of Profs. Yu-Chen Cheng, Khanh Dao Duc, and Leah Edelstein-Keshet at the UBC Dept of Mathematics as a post-doctoral fellow.

Single-cell and spatial genomics technologies (e.g., scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq, and spatial transcriptomics) provide rich information about cellular heterogeneity, but typically capture biological systems only at discrete snapshots in time. We are seeking a PDF to join our collaborative research team developing mathematical and computational methods to reconstruct continuous cellular dynamics and uncover the underlying regulatory mechanisms that drive these dynamics.

The successful applicant will use a variety of mathematical and computational approaches-including optimal transport, gradient flows, partial and ordinary differential equations (PDEs/ODEs), and cell-based simulations-to develop new methods and software building on frameworks (such as PROFET, https://www.cell.com/cell-systems/abstract/S2405-4712(26)00192-4). The project will extend these approaches to incorporate the spatial context of cells, intercellular communication, cell motility, and intracellular regulatory systems.

A central goal is to develop models that jointly describe how spatial interactions between cells and intracellular regulatory dynamics shape cellular trajectories in both space and time. By integrating single-cell and spatial genomic measurements with interpretable mathematical models, the project aims to infer the biological mechanisms governing cellular dynamics and generate testable predictions. Potential applications include understanding cell-state transitions and spatial organization during development, tissue regeneration, and cancer progression or treatment response.

More details about PDF positions at the UBC Department of Mathematics, and the site for online application is

https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs/list/28880

Screening of applications will commence on November 16, 2026. Applications received after this date may be considered as long as positions remain available.