PRISM Mentors

The opportunity

The Sun Lab at Stanford University is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar to investigate how neural circuits regulate adipose tissue function and systemic metabolism. Projects will focus on the molecularly defined sensory and autonomic pathways that innervate adipose tissue, with an emphasis on peripheral nervous system (PNS) circuits, including dorsal root ganglia (DRG) sensory neurons, autonomic signaling, and state-dependent neural activity during metabolic challenges.

This position is well suited to candidates with strong training in metabolism or adipose biology, neuroscience, genomics, physiology, molecular biology, computational biology, or a related field, who are eager to build an interdisciplinary research program in neuro-metabolism. Prior experience with every approach listed below is not expected; the lab provides training, close mentorship, and a collaborative environment for learning across disciplines.

What we do

The Sun Lab brings together single-cell and spatial genomics, circuit neuroscience, metabolic biology, and computational approaches to understand how neural systems sense, remodel, and regulate peripheral organs. In this program, we combine molecular profiling, neural activity measurements, circuit perturbation, anatomical mapping, and metabolic phenotyping to identify the pathways through which adipose tissue communicates with the nervous system. Building on prior work in adipose single-nucleus genomics, thermogenic adipose biology, metabolic regulation, and molecular mapping of neural circuits, the lab now extends these approaches to define neuro-adipose communication at molecular, anatomical, and functional levels.1–8

What we offer

This position offers substantial intellectual ownership, close mentorship, and the opportunity to develop an independent research direction within the broader neuro-adipose communication program. The postdoctoral scholar will join a collaborative environment with access to expertise in neuroscience, genomics, metabolism, imaging, mouse physiology, and computational biology. The successful candidate will receive support for publications, conference presentations, fellowship applications, and long-term career development. More information about the lab is available at wenfei.org.

What you will do

The postdoctoral scholar will develop an independent project within the broader neuro-adipose communication program. Potential directions include:

• Defining the molecular identity of peripheral sensory and autonomic neuronal populations that innervate adipose tissue using single-cell and spatial transcriptomic approaches.
• Mapping neural pathways connecting adipose tissue with the peripheral and central nervous systems.
• Recording and perturbing neural activity in vivo and ex vivo during metabolic states such as cold exposure, feeding/fasting, obesity, or altered insulin sensitivity.
• Integrating molecular, anatomical, functional, and metabolic data to determine how neural circuits regulate adipose tissue function and systemic glucose and lipid metabolism.

What you bring

We welcome candidates from metabolism or adipose biology, neuroscience, genomics, physiology, molecular biology, computational biology, or related fields who are excited to learn across disciplines. The strongest candidates will bring rigorous experimental training, intellectual curiosity, and an interest in building a research program that connects neural circuits with metabolic physiology.

Required qualifications:

• Doctoral degree in neurobiology, physiology, metabolism, adipose biology, molecular biology, genomics, bioengineering, computational biology, or a related field.
• Strong experimental training and the ability to design, troubleshoot, and interpret rigorous experiments.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative lab environment.
• Interest in learning new approaches across neuroscience, metabolism, genomics, imaging, physiology, or computational biology.

Preferred experience

Experience in one or more of the following areas is preferred but not required:

• Peripheral nervous system biology, DRG sensory neurons, autonomic circuits, neuro-organ communication, or interoception.
• Adipose tissue biology, thermogenesis, metabolic physiology, glucose and lipid metabolism, obesity and diabetes models, or mouse metabolic phenotyping.
• Single-cell genomics, spatial transcriptomics, molecular profiling, computational genomics, or tissue mapping.
• Neural activity recording or circuit manipulation, including calcium imaging, electrophysiology, fiber photometry, viral tools, mouse genetics, chemogenetics, or optogenetics.

How to apply

Please send (1) a brief cover letter describing your research interests and fit, (2) your CV, and (3) the names and contact information for 2 to 3 references to Dr. Wenfei Sun at wenfei-sun@stanford.edu.

Equal opportunity

Stanford is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

References

[1] Sun et al. Cold-induced epigenetic programming of the sperm enhances brown adipose tissue activity in the offspring. Nature Medicine (2018)

[2] Sun et al. snRNA-seq reveals a subpopulation of adipocytes that regulates thermogenesis. Nature (2020)

[3] Sun. Fat for heat. Science (2021)

[4] Sun et al. Local acetate inhibits brown adipose tissue function. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2021)

[5] Sun et al. Plasticity and heterogeneity of thermogenic adipose tissue. Nature Metabolism (2021)

[6] Dong et al. Identification of a regulatory pathway inhibiting adipogenesis via RSPO2. Nature Metabolism (2022)

[7] Sun et al. Spatial transcriptomics reveal neuron–astrocyte synergy in long-term memory. Nature (2024)

[8] Liu et al. The cortical amygdala consolidates a socially transmitted long-term memory. Nature (2024)