Almost everyone will be affected by hearing loss which is often due to age, noise exposure, and ear infections. We are now discovering that the immune system is critical to the development and progression of all major causes but also many causes we previously deemed as "idiopathic".

The Santa Maria Lab is a discovery and translational research lab moving to The University of Pittsburgh in Summer 2024, from Stanford University. The lab is federally funded to explore the immune mechanisms of hearing loss in chronic infectious ear disease but is undertaking large-scale efforts to understand immune mechanisms in ear infections, noise, tumors, and autoimmune and immune-mediated inner ear disease. It is establishing an immune-mediated inner ear disease center. Mechanisms will be explored moving from in vitro to animal models to human samples. The lab is part of the Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center and will become a central piece of the Pittsburgh Ear Institute. Along with federal funding, the lab has a track record of translating its research into clinical trials, licensing technology, industry partnerships, and startups.

The postdoc associate will be responsible for performing research with the Santa Maria Lab. We are looking for a dedicated and highly motivated postdoctoral research scientist to join a collaborative team of scientists, that span molecular biology, chemistry, nanomedicines, bioengineering and microbiology; to discover mechanisms and potential cures for hearing loss.

University of Pittsburgh is ranked No. 13 (tie) in Best Medical Schools: Research and No. 11 (tie) in Best Medical Schools: Primary Care by US News and World Reports.

Pittsburgh is a convenient, affordable place to live and work—with a cost of living 7% lower than the national average, a reasonable median home price of $259,900, and a median monthly rent of $1,427. The city also has a range of top-notch companies in the education, technology, healthcare, and steel industries.