Lab's objective and priorities
We train graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to become independent, broadly fluent scientists at the intersection of synthetic embryology, quantitative developmental biology, and neural control of behavior. Trainees in the lab come from diverse backgrounds—including developmental and cell biology, genetics, physics, statistics, computation, and bioengineering—and are expected to grow well beyond their original discipline.
Training emphasizes intellectual ownership. Lab members are encouraged to shape their projects, develop new experimental or computational approaches when needed, and engage deeply with both conceptual frameworks and biological detail. The most successful trainees combine broad curiosity with a willingness to master the specifics of the systems they study.
Our culture is deliberately supportive but also demanding. We value rigor, clarity of thought, and constructive critique. Collaboration is central, but independence of thinking is essential. This environment is best suited for trainees who are comfortable with ambiguity, enjoy learning unfamiliar tools, and want to define problems rather than execute predefined projects.
The lab sits at the intersection of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Medical School, with affiliations in Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Applied Physics at the John A. Paulson School of Engineering, and Neurology at MGH—providing access to collaborators across biology, engineering, and the physical sciences.
Postdoctoral Opportunities
We are actively recruiting postdoctoral fellows interested in synthetic embryology, human stem-cell–based developmental systems, tissue patterning and morphogenesis and quantitative developmental biology. Postdoctoral candidates should email Sharad Ramanathan with a CV, a 1–2 page research statement describing their interests and potential fit with the lab’s scientific direction, and contact information for 2–3 references (letters will be requested at a later stage).
Harvard is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, military service, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or other protected status.