Postdoctoral Research Scientist

Postdoctoral Positions in Computational & Systems Biology - RamanLab, IIT Madras / IBSE

The Computational Systems Biology Lab (RamanLab) at IIT Madras is hiring postdoctoral researchers across several active projects - spanning microbiome systems biology, genome-scale metabolic modelling, mechanistic and Boolean modelling, and AI-driven microbiome knowledgebases. We're looking for strong, self-motivated researchers to lead work across industry-funded and government-funded projects, mentor PhD students, and contribute to the lab's broader research programme.

Projects currently hiring forSUKSHMA - Microbiome Knowledgebase (ANRF-funded, 3 years) Building a first-of-its-kind, FAIR-compliant microbiome knowledgebase integrating dynamic semantic harmonisation, systems-biology-based network modelling, and agentic AI with a natural-language query interface. Looking for a strong generalist comfortable across data infrastructure, microbiome analysis, network modelling, and modern AI/LLM tooling - who can lead across the project's technical pillars and mentor PhD students working on individual components.Gut Microbiome Systems Biology (industry-funded) Curating genome-scale metabolic models of gut microbial organisms, integrating transcriptomic data, and using these models to understand microbial synergy and predict intervention strategies. Ideal for a postdoc with hands-on COBRA/COBRApy experience looking for focused, high-intensity industry-academia work.Skin Microbiome Systems Biology (industry-funded) Curating and analysing genome-scale metabolic models of skin-associated microbial organisms, exploring microbial interactions in skin communities, and developing reproducible model-building pipelines.

Builds on the lab's ongoing work in skin and home microbiome modelling.Mechanistic Modelling of Biological Systems (industry-funded) Building ODE-based mechanistic models of regulatory and signalling processes, complemented by Boolean network models for systems where parameterisation is intractable. Parameter estimation, sensitivity analysis, and experimental validation are central.

What we're looking forPhD (awarded or thesis submitted) in computational biology, bioinformatics, systems biology, computer science, data science, applied mathematics, or a related quantitative fieldStrong programming skills (Python and/or R; MATLAB useful for some projects)Track record of peer-reviewed publicationsProject-specific expertise: metabolic modelling (COBRA/COBRApy/MEMOTE) for the microbiome projects; ODE-based dynamical modelling for the mechanistic project; FAIR data, ontologies, knowledge graphs, and/or LLM tooling for SUKSHMASelf-motivated, organised, able to collaborate across disciplines and with industry partnersAbility to mentor junior researchers is a plus

What we offerStipend of 60,000 - 1,00,000 per month, commensurate with experience (aligned with ANRF/institute norms)Externally funded fellows (NPDF, DBT-RA, etc.) are warmly welcomeAccess to the lab's open-source tools and HPC facilities at IIT Madras, and active international collaborationsA vibrant interdisciplinary environment at the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AIPositions are renewable annually based on performance and project progression

How to applySend a single PDF containing:A brief cover letter describing your research interests and indicating which project(s) you're interested in (one or more - we're happy to consider strong candidates for the best-fit role)Your CV with full publication listNames and contact details of 2-3 refereesto .Applications reviewed on a rolling basis until positions are filled. Lab: IBSE:

About the labThe computational systems biology lab at WSAI, IITM works at the intersection of computational biology, systems biology, and AI - developing scalable algorithms and tools to understand, predict, and manipulate complex biological networks. Our work spans microbiome systems biology, genome-scale metabolic modelling, network biology, and machine learning for biological big data, with active collaborations including NASA JPL, Unilever, Kemin, and the GenomeIndia consortium. The lab has developed several widely used open-source tools, including COSMOS, Panera, Fast-SL, MetQuest, and minMicrobiome.

About IBSEThe Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE) at IIT Madras is an interdisciplinary research group focused on developing innovative approaches to integrate complex biological data across scales. By combining expertise from diverse fields, IBSE aims to unravel the mechanisms underlying cellular behaviour, population dynamics, and organ-level complexity. The centre strives to enhance scientific understanding while advancing personalised medicine through predictive and manipulative strategies for biological systems.