and Responsibilities
Areas of focus: Immunometabolism, Tissue Inflammation, and Cancer Development
The laboratory of Dr. Meng Zhao in the Arthritis & Clinical Immunology Research Program at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Scientist to investigate how T cell metabolic stress drives tissue inflammation and promotes tumor development.
The central focus of this position is the analysis of tissue pathology and inflammatory remodeling in vivo, integrating histology with immunologic and molecular approaches. The postdoc will play a key role in characterizing how immune-driven stress responses reshape tissue architecture and disease progression.
Our work combines cellular immunology, mitochondrial biology, and genetically engineered mouse models to define mechanisms linking metabolic stress, interferon signaling, and microbiota-dependent pathology.
Scientific Environment
The Zhao laboratory emphasizes rigorous, mechanism-driven research with strong integration of tissue-level analysis and multi-omics approaches. The postdoc will have access to:
Mentorship and Career Development
This position provides:
OMRF has repeatedly been recognized as a Best Place to Work for Postdocs by The Scientist. The Arthritis & Clinical Immunology Program houses one of only ten NIH-designated Autoimmune Centers of Excellence in the U.S., providing a highly collaborative and stimulating environment. In addition, OMRF’s Postdoctoral Training Committee and Postdoctoral Association provide structured professional development, networking opportunities, and career guidance.
Minimum Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications
OMRF Overview
Founded in 1946, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) is among the nation’s oldest, most respected independent, nonprofit biomedical research institutes. OMRF is dedicated to understanding and developing more effective treatments for human diseases, focusing on critical research areas such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and cardiovascular disease. OMRF follows an innovative cross-disciplinary approach to medical research and ranks among the nation’s leaders in patents per scientist.
Located in Oklahoma City, a city that offers a dynamic and flourishing downtown area, with low cost of living, short commute times and a diversified economy, OMRF has been voted one of the Top Workplaces since the inception of the award. This achievement has been accomplished thanks to OMRF individuals who share a unified understanding that our excellence can only be fully realized with a collective commitment to our mission, “. . . so that more may live longer, healthier lives.” Successful candidates will demonstrate commitment to this mission.
OMRF Benefits
We offer competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits to full-time employees including medical, dental, and vision insurance, minimum 8% company retirement contribution, vacation and sick leave, and paid holidays. All employees have access to our onsite café, free onsite fitness center with access to personal trainer, free parking and much more! Relocation assistance available for those located 50 miles outside of Oklahoma City metro. Learn more about our benefits here
OMRF is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Established in 1946, OMRF is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institute with more than 450 staff and over 50 labs studying cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and diseases of aging.
Breakthroughs in our labs have led to three FDA-approved drugs, including the first targeted therapy approved in the U.S. for sickle cell disease and the first approved treatment for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, a rare autoimmune disease. OMRF’s critical research is helping people live longer, healthier lives, one discovery at a time.
Along the way, OMRF has garnered worldwide media attention, from leading scientific publications like The New England Journal of Medicine and Science to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. By pushing the boundaries of biomedical science, our researchers are helping to win the war against human disease, one discovery at a time.
