Date Posted: 02/25/2026

Req ID: 47076

Faculty/Division: Faculty of Dentistry

Department: Faculty of Dentistry

Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description About us: Exciting new advances and global challenges are radically reshaping the field of dentistry. Our vision at the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto is not only to respond to these changes, but to thoughtfully shape the field of the future.

With robust educational training programs (DDS, MSc, PhD, IDAPP, and specialty programs), an emphasis on community outreach and care, and an internationally recognized interdisciplinary research mission, the Faculty of Dentistry continues to earn its reputation as one of the top dental schools in North America. Throughout more than 150 years of dental education—Canada’s oldest, largest, and most comprehensive dental training program—we have striven to graduate the highest quality of students while providing the public the highest standards of care.

We are driven by our vision to improve health by advancing dentistry through inspired leadership, innovation, and excellence in education, research, and practice.

Your Opportunity The Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto invites applications for a Research Associate (Limited Term) for a one-year appointment.

Anil Kishen’s research group operates at the interface of microbiology, immunology, biomaterials, and translational therapeutics. The lab leads multidisciplinary projects with a strong emphasis on in vitro disease modeling and the development of innovative biomaterials- and nanoparticle-enabled therapeutic strategies, including applications relevant to chronic wound healing research and oral/craniofacial inflammatory conditions.

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Research Associate to support and lead key research initiatives in the lab. This role is ideal for a candidate with strong molecular and cellular biology experience, a clear interest in translational science, and the ability to contribute meaningfully to scientific publications and grant development.

Key Responsibilities Design, execute, and optimize molecular and cellular assays to evaluate therapeutic candidates, including those involving nanoparticle- and biomaterial-based platforms.

Develop, validate, and maintain in vitro and in vivo disease models aligned with the lab’s research focus, including models relevant to chronic wound healing (e.g., impaired repair, persistent inflammation, infection/biofilm-associated non-healing).

Lead and support multidisciplinary research efforts, coordinating with collaborators and managing research timelines, milestones, and deliverables.

Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior lab members, including graduate and undergraduate students; support training plans, troubleshooting, and best practices.

Manage day-to-day laboratory operations, including equipment oversight/maintenance, safety compliance, documentation, purchasing, and inventory management.

Analyze and interpret data; contribute to experimental planning, study design decisions, and clear presentation of findings.

Contribute to scientific outputs, including manuscripts, literature reviews (and meta-analyses where relevant), abstracts, posters, and presentations.

Assist in grant and reporting activities, including drafting technical sections for grant proposals, preparing progress reports, and coordinating supporting documentation.

Qualifications PhD in Biomedical Sciences, Microbiology Cell Biology, Immunology, or a related field, with more than 5 years of relevant research experience in chronic wound healing research.

Proven track record in therapeutic candidate development/evaluation, assay optimization, and in vitro modeling, including experience relevant to chronic wound healing therapeutics.

Strong technical expertise in relevant methods, which may include:Mammalian cell culture (2D and/or 3D)

Microfluidic device printing (e.g. photolithography) and 3D cell culture

Immunological assays (e.g., ELISA; IF/ IHC staining; Flow Cytometry other platforms)

Microbiological techniques and infection model development

Animal handling, injection and surgical techniques (e.g. IV/SQ techniques, wound healing models)

Imaging and microscopy-based readouts (e.g., fluorescence/confocal)

Cell culture-based infection workflows appropriate to the lab’s needs (where applicable)

Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced research environment.

Experience in managing research projects, mentoring trainees, and supporting laboratory infrastructure and operations.

Excellent creative communication and scientific writing skills.

Experience contributing to grant proposals, progress reports, and scientific reviews is highly desirable.

Entrepreneurial and translational mindset: demonstrated ability to identify practical applications of research, think beyond proof-of-concept, and contribute to innovation activities (e.g., platform development, technology translation, partnerships, funding programs, or commercialization-oriented initiatives).

Project management experience is an asset; PMP® certification is not required.

Note: This is a one (1) year term position. Closing Date: 03/06/2026, 11:59PM ET

Employee Group: Research Associate

Personnel Subarea: Research Assoc

Appointment Type : Budget - Term

Schedule: Full-Time

Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: R01 -- Research Associates (Limited Term): $53,520 - $100,350

Job Category: Research Administration & Teaching

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Diversity Statement The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.

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