Join the Rajan Lab

We’re a small, highly collaborative team tackling how inter-organ communication shapes physiology and brain health—especially fat-to-brain signals that influence innate immunity, cognition, hunger, and brain senescence/aging. We work primarily in Drosophila with growing mammalian extensions, combining genetics, advanced imaging, physiology, and -omics. We value curiosity, rigor, and kindness. If you’re excited to build new biology at the interface of metabolism, innate immunity and the brain, we’d love to hear from you.

Open Roles

• Postdoctoral Fellow – Drive independent, high-impact projects with close mentorship from Akhila and clear pathways to fellowships and future independence. Experience or strong interest in snRNA-seq, quantitative proteomics, TRAP/RiboTag, lipidomics, glial biology, innate immunity, ER-Mito contacts biology or inter-organ circuit mapping is a plus. We are recruiting for Fall 2026, with positions starting Oct 1, 2026.

  How to Apply

  Email akhila@fredhutch.org with:

  1. CV

  2. Brief cover letter (what you want to work on and why our lab)

  3. For postdocs, a 2-page research vision (how your skills intersect with fat–brain signaling, brain senescence, or adipokine-related mechanisms)

• Graduate Students – We welcome rotation students from the MCB and M3D programs.

  • How to apply: Please apply through your program portal and indicate interest in the Rajan Lab. Once matched, email Akhila (akhila@fredhutch.org) with your CV and a short note on your research interests to coordinate a rotation project.

  • What to expect during a rotation: Rotation students in the Rajan Lab will gain hands-on exposure to Drosophila genetics, imaging, and molecular biology, as well as learn how we study fat–brain communication and brain senescence. Students typically take on a focused mini-project (e.g., testing a genetic perturbation, imaging glial responses, or analyzing lipidomics data) that connects directly to ongoing lab questions. Rotators are also fully integrated into lab life—participating in group meetings, journal clubs, and discussions—so they can experience our collaborative and interdisciplinary culture.

Why Join Us

• Interdisciplinary, supportive environment in the Basic Sciences Division at Fred Hutch

• Access to outstanding core facilities across Fred Hutch and the South Lake Union research ecosystem

• Seattle offers a balanced lifestyle; positions include competitive salaries and benefits