We are building a diverse team (in terms of both personal backgrounds and scientific experience) to address difficult questions with implications for both basic science and medical practice. We value intellectual curiosity, commitment to excellence, and collaborative and open problem-solving. No particular background is required and we can help you get the cross-training you seek.
In addition to the categories below, we are always on the lookout for potential team members from a clinical background or staff scientists with relevant experience.
Postdocs
We are currently on the lookout for postdocs, supported by NIH grant funding. See the dropdown boxes on our research page for more information on lab-planned projects.
We are also open to applicant-initiated projects. Projects initiated by applicants might leverage our unique datasets, our computational knowhow, and/or our experimental platforms for high-throughput microbial growth curves.
MIT-specific fellowships of interest include the MIT-Novo Nordisk Fellowship (life science and data science intersection), MIT Postdoctoral Fellowship for Engineering Excellence (underrepresented groups).
When applying, please email with: (1) a brief description of your research interests, (2) your CV, and (3) a recent manuscript, preprint, or materials from a recent presentation.
Graduate students
Current MIT students: We are actively recruiting rotation students from the entering 2025 class, with new funding support from NIH.
Prospective MIT students: We are open to hosting rotation students for students already enrolled at MIT. Graduate students not currently enrolled in a PhD program should apply to one of the many relevant PhD programs at MIT, which include Computational and Systems Biology, Microbiology, and Health Sciences and Technology. We can also accept students from Harvard’s Biophysics PhD program.
Prospective students interested in applying directly to the lab through MIT’s Civil and Environmental Engineering (Ecology and Evolution track) should contact me after submitting their application materials (or email me with equivalent materials if cost of application is an issue); please note that this program does not offer rotations.
Advice for applicants: I do not interact with graduate students before the formal application process, out of a desire to impart more fairness to the system. In lieu of this, please accept these tips for applying to PhD programs: Recommendation letters and your personal statement are very important. For recommendation letters, pick the most credentialed individuals you know who can also speak in specifics about your accomplishments and potential. Start thinking about your personal statement early, and focus on what scientific concepts get you excited. The Microbiology PhD program has more funds for international students than the CSB PhD program, and is a great choice even for those primarily interested in computational microbiology.
Undergraduates (UROPs)
We have a variety of projects available for undergraduate research experiences at MIT, including experimental, computational, and combo experimental/computational projects. Favor will be given to applicants who are interested in spending multiple years in the lab, though we often have computational projects available for shorter time commitments. Please attach a CV/resume and undergraduate transcript when getting in touch.