The Gati Lab at the University of Southern California (USC) is seeking highly motivated postdoctoral researchers or research technicians to join our interdisciplinary research program focused on G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) biology and pharmacology.
Our research aims to elucidate the structural and mechanistic principles governing GPCR signaling and to translate these insights toward novel therapeutic strategies. We integrate cutting-edge cryo-EM with cell-based pharmacological assays and computational modeling to study GPCRs activated by diverse ligands, including neurotransmitters, peptides, and immune modulators.
Recent work from our lab includes a variety of cutting-edge studies on GPCR structural pharmacology, including:
- the first structures of Class C intermediate states – GABA-B (Shaye et al. 2020, Nature, PMID: 32555460),
- the first structure of an inactive GPCR-BRIL fusion – Fzd5 (Tsutsumi et al. 2020, eLife, PMID: 32762848),
- the first structures of inverse agonist-bound GPCR-G protein complexes – KOR (Tyson et al. 2025, Nature Chemical Biology, PMID: 39775170),
- the first structures of GDP-bound intermediate states of GPCR-G protein complexes, elucidating the activation mechanism and pharmacology of MOR (Khan et al. 2025, Nature, PMID: 41193810).
A more comprehensive list of publications can be found on our website: www.gati-lab.com
The lab is expanding its efforts toward single molecule biophysics and structure-guided drug discovery, leveraging collaborations in computational biology, chemical biology and protein engineering.
If you are passionate about GPCR biology, structural biology, pharmacology, and modern drug discovery, we encourage you to apply.
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We welcome applicants with experience in two or more of the following areas:
- ????????????: Recombinant protein expression in Sf9 and mammalian expression system. Purification of membrane proteins.
- ????–??: Single-particle cryo-EM analysis of membrane proteins, including GPCR complexes.
- ???? ????????????: Cell-based signaling assays (e.g., BRET-based assays), receptor trafficking studies, or advanced imaging approaches.
- ????????????? ???????: Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, structure-based drug design, or protein/antibody engineering.
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Applicants must hold a PhD or BSc in a relevant discipline (e.g., structural biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, computational biology, or related fields) and demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills.
Interested candidates should apply directly to Prof. Gati (gati[at]usc.edu) and include a CV, a brief statement of research interests, and contact information for two academic references.