join
The Padilla Lab is an interdisciplinary lab that utilizes a range of tools to study and advance RNA nanomedicine. A typical Padilla Lab member will spend their time synthesizing novel molecules, formulating nanoparticles, employing advanced characterization methods, performing cellular assays, and testing their creations in vivo — sometimes all in the same week!
If that range excites you, we want to hear from you.
Our founding postdoctoral search is now closed, and the general application form is no longer accepting submissions. We are still glad to hear from prospective graduate students, and from postdoctoral candidates who bring their own fellowship funding — details below.
Who we’re looking for
Graduate students. Prospective and current PhD students in Materials Science & Engineering and other Stanford PhD programs are welcome to reach out about rotations and projects — tell us what problems you want to work on.
A note on how joining works: students come into the lab through Stanford’s admissions, not by direct match. You’ll first need to be admitted to a Stanford PhD program, then contact us once you’re here — so the strongest first step is applying to the program that best fits your interests. Once admitted, we encourage incoming students to apply to the Chemistry/Biology Interface (CBI) Training Program, which supports interdisciplinary trainees across chemistry, engineering, and the biosciences.
Postdoctoral fellows. Our funded postdoctoral search has closed. We do still welcome inquiries from exceptional candidates who hold — or are actively applying for — their own fellowship support, such as an NIH F32 or K99/R00, NSF, HHMI Hanna Gray, Damon Runyon, Jane Coffin Childs, EMBO, or an equivalent. If that’s you, please email me a short description of the problems you want to work on, your CV, and the fellowship you hold or intend to pursue.
Undergraduate researchers. Undergraduates are welcome to contact the lab beginning in 2027.
Get in touch
You can reach me at mpad@stanford.edu. For graduate and fellowship-funded postdoctoral inquiries, a few sentences about the specific problems you want to work on goes much further than a generic note.