The Brinsmade lab is always looking for talented and hard-working students and postdocs to participate in our ongoing research activities.

The Brinsmade lab in the Department of Biology at Georgetown University is seeking applicants for an NIH-funded post-doctoral position that will help us to unravel how S. aureus pathogenicity is linked mechanistically to nutrient limitation. Specifically, we are interested in understanding how the nutritive properties of host tissues guide bacterial behavior on the single cell level during infection. The project will make use of molecular genetics and biochemical approaches, RNA-Seq, cutting edge small animal imaging techniques, as well as traditional in vivo animal models of infection. Please submit a CV and cover letter to Dr. Shaun Brinsmade by email. The project is supported by NIH award number 1R01AI137403-01.

Georgetown University offers several graduate degree programs in the life sciences. The Brinsmade lab is affiliated with the Ph.D. programs offered in the Department of Biology and the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, as well, as the Global Infectious Diseases graduate program. Please note that admission to these programs is competitive and each program has a limited number of open slots. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the appropriate deadline. Please apply to one of these programs and note your interest in the Brinsmade lab in your application. You should also contact Shaun via e-mail if you are interested in joining the lab for thesis research. See our new Biology Graduate Program Video and learn more about the Microbes and Infectious Diseases Cluster in the Department of Biology.

Ph.D. students in the Biology graduate program are typically funded by a combination of Departmental teaching fellowships and research grants. Outstanding senior students are eligible for dissertation fellowships awarded by the Graduate School to complete their thesis research and writing. In addition, the Graduate School provides travel awards for deserving students to present their research at professional meetings including the ASM General Meeting. 

We welcome undergraduates to engage in research in our lab. Each undergraduate student in the Brinsmade lab is expected to work at least 15- to 20 hours a week on his or her project under the guidance of a mentor (graduate student or postdoc). Interested students should be at least in their sophomore year and should consider working on their project until graduation. Please submit an unofficial transcript, a description of planned coursework and a 1- to 2-paragraph statement explaining why you would like to perform research in our lab. Preference will be given to those students who exhibit the highest enthusiasm and motivation, and those students who are able to commit at least 2 full years to research in the lab. Course credit and support is available! See Undergraduate Research Opportunities for details.

The Department of Biology at Georgetown University is a collegial and interactive environment. Washington D.C. provides an exceptionally rich cultural and research environment with opportunities to interact with researchers at the National Institutes of Health and various other local universities and research institutions.