Postdoctoral Scientist - Levy Lab - Digital Pathology

Join Dr. Joshua Levy's team and contribute to data-driven solutions as a Postdoctoral Scientist at Cedars-Sinai!

Led by Dr. Joshua Levy in the Departments of Pathology and Computational Biomedicine at Cedars-Sinai, the Levy Lab develops computational approaches that connect tissue morphology, molecular biology, and clinical data. The research program integrates artificial intelligence, spatial biology, biostatistics, and biomedical informatics to address challenges in cancer diagnosis, tumor biology, and precision medicine. A major focus is the development and rigorous validation of AI technologies for anatomic pathology, including multicenter studies of urine cytology for bladder cancer detection and other methods advancing toward clinical implementation. The lab also investigates how the spatial organization of the tumor microenvironment influences cancer growth, progression, and metastasis. This work integrates histopathology with spatial transcriptomics, imaging mass spectrometry, molecular profiling, and other multimodal measurements, while developing computational methods to infer spatial gene expression from tissue images and reconstruct tumor biology in three dimensions. The lab also uses Bayesian hierarchical modeling, natural language processing, and multimodal machine learning to integrate complex biomedical data and advance precision medicine.

Supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and foundations, the lab conducts multi-institutional research with pathologists, clinicians, computational scientists, and institutional research cores. Team members have access to extensive imaging and molecular datasets and high-performance computing resources. Trainees and staff are encouraged to take intellectual ownership of projects, shape research direction, publish and present findings, and build the skills needed for independent careers in computational and translational research

Are you ready to be a part of breakthrough research?

Working independently but in close cooperation and in consultation with the Principal Investigator and other Research Scientists, the Postdoctoral Scientist will perform routine and complex laboratory procedures throughout training period. May develop, adapt, and implement new research techniques and protocols. Analyzes and interprets data. May assist in preparation of grant proposals. Participates in publications and presentations as author or co-author. Not responsible for generating grant funds.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• May assist in the preparation of grant proposals, but is not responsible for generating grant funds.
• May participate in publications and presentations as author or co-author.
• Designs and performs experiments. Will keep appropriate experimental records and documentation and analyze the results with the Principal Investigator.
• May develop, adapt, and implement new research techniques and protocols.
• Analyzes interpret, summarizes, and compiles data.
• Performs routine and complex laboratory procedures throughout the training period.
• Operates and maintains equipment and instruments.
• May observe MD-patient or MD-human research subject interactions as it pertains directly to research being performed.

 

Department Specific Responsibilities:

• Develop and apply computational approaches for pathology foundation models, inference of spatial transcriptomics from histology, spatial multimodal analysis, and three-dimensional spatial transcriptomics, aligned with funded research aims.
• Help shape research direction with the Principal Investigator; formulate hypotheses, design studies, interpret findings, and lead manuscript preparation and scientific presentations.
• Apply epidemiologic and biostatistical principles, including multilevel modeling, to account for patient, specimen, and site variation.
• Develop reproducible analysis workflows using Python, R, Linux, and high-performance computing, with documented code, data provenance, and appropriate model validation.
• Coordinate project-specific specimen profiling across histology, slide-scanning, and spatial genomics cores for ongoing NIH-funded studies; build practical knowledge of tissue preparation, assay requirements, and quality control with core specialists.
• Mentor junior trainees in computational research, analysis, scientific writing, and responsible research practices.
• Pursue mentored career development through fellowship and career development proposals, scientific talks, and an individualized plan toward faculty or project scientist roles. Contribute to laboratory grant proposals.

Qualifications

Education:

• A Doctorate (MD, PhD, VMD, or DDS) degree in area directly related to field of research specialization.

 

Experience and Skills:

• Acquires thorough technical and theoretical knowledge of research project and objectives during one to five (1-5) year post-doctoral appointment.
• Works independently on research projects designed by a mentor (typically the PI) within area of specialization.
• Demonstrated aptitude to perform experimental protocols and procedures, including detailed data collection, and analysis and operation and maintenance of specialized equipment.
• Knowledge of safety standards and maintenance of specialized equipment.

About the team

Cedars-Sinai is one of the largest nonprofit academic medical centers in the U.S., with 915 licensed beds, 2,993 physicians, 4,700+ nurses and thousands of other healthcare professionals and staff. Choose this if you want to work in a fast-paced environment that offers the highest level of care to people in the Los Angeles that need our care the most.

About the company

Cedars-Sinai is a leader in providing high-quality healthcare encompassing primary care, specialized medicine and research. Since 1902, Cedars-Sinai has evolved to meet the needs of one of the most diverse regions in the nation, setting standards in quality and innovative patient care, research, teaching and community service. Today, Cedars- Sinai is known for its national leadership in transforming healthcare for the benefit of patients. Cedars-Sinai impacts the future of healthcare by developing new approaches to treatment and educating tomorrow's health professionals. Additionally, Cedars-Sinai demonstrates a commitment to the community through programs that improve the health of its most vulnerable residents.