Scholarship: Fully-funded
Degree: Bachelor, Master, Ph.D
Nationality: International Students
Location: USA
Application deadlines: Open
Scholarship Description:
Steven Liang, a professor who studied under Nobel Laureate EJ Corey at Harvard University, focuses on translating traditional organic chemistry methods into radioactive labeling chemistry. He previously directed the PET Drug Development and Translation Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and served as an associate professor in Radiology at Harvard. In 2022, he joined Emory University, overseeing the PET Imaging Center and leading the departments of Radiochemistry, Cyclotron Center, and Radiopharmacology.
His team specializes in the synthesis, diagnosis, and therapeutic translation of medical imaging drugs, particularly in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. They have developed a robust research and medical translation system, managing over 35 projects funded by the NIH, private foundations, and industry. The team has published over 190 articles and received numerous awards, including the 2021 Contribution Award from the Society of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, the 2021 Outstanding Scientist Award from the Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research, and the 2023 Berson-Yalow Award from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.
The lab comprises a multidisciplinary team, with many former members now leading research and clinical departments at prominent institutions and companies worldwide. They offer a supportive research environment, international collaboration opportunities, comprehensive training, and career development support.
Recent representative publications include:
- European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2025, 117246.
- Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2024, 67(4):2559-2569.
- Nature Communications, 2023, 14, 3257.
- Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, 2023, 13(1): 213-226.
- Science Translational Medicine, 2022, 14(665), eadc9967.
For more details, please visit the publications page.
Available Subjects:
- Postdoctoral Researcher (1 position in Drug Chemistry)
- Postdoctoral Researcher (1 position in Peptide Synthesis and Modification)
- Postdoctoral Researcher (1-2 positions in Biology)
- Research Assistant (1 position)
Eligibility criteria:
- PhD in Drug Chemistry (including 2025 PhD candidates) with at least one first-author publication in a relevant academic journal.
- Research experience in drug design and synthesis; familiarity with structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies.
- Preference for candidates with cell or animal experiment experience.
- PhD in Peptide/Protein Chemical Synthesis and Modification (including 2025 PhD candidates) with at least one first-author publication in a relevant academic journal.
- Research background in peptide design and synthesis; preference for candidates with cell or animal experiment experience.
- PhD in Biology or Pharmacology (including 2025 PhD candidates) with at least one first-author publication in a relevant academic journal.
- Research background in preclinical studies of neurological diseases or tumors; proficient in cell culture, animal model construction, and biological characterization.
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Drug Chemistry or Biology.
- Ability to manage laboratory research tasks as per PI requirements, including cell culture/transfection, Western blotting, animal husbandry, drug administration (e.g., tail vein injection), blood collection, dissection, and data analysis.
- We offer systematic research training and skill enhancement support, along with guidance for eligible candidates on US visa applications. Outstanding performers may receive recommendations for PhD programs.
Application Procedure:
Salary and benefits will be provided according to Emory University School of Medicine standards. Applicants should send their English CV (including graduation or expected graduation date and contact information for two referees; recommendation letters are not required at this stage) and a cover letter (research summary) to:
Please use the email subject line “Postdoc application + name” or “Research specialist application + name.” For further inquiries about the research group or additional information about the research background and center, please contact Dr. Yinlong Li at the same email address.