Postdoc in Porcine Immunology - Technical University of Denmark
Location: Lyngby
Salary: Not specified
Hours: Full Time
Contract Type: Permanent
Placed on: 11th July 2016
Closes: 20th August 2016
A postdoctoral position is available in the ‘Adaptive Immunology’ group headed by Professor Gregers Jungersen at the Section of Immunology and Vaccinology, at the Technical University of Denmark, Veterinary Institute, Frederiksberg.
The ‘Adaptive Immunology’ group is currently consisting of 10 people, including postdocs, PhD students, technicians and undergraduate students. The overall aim of the research group is to use our immunological insight in the field of veterinary adaptive immunology to apply immunological correlates of protection in vaccine design, advance the understanding of human diseases by appropriate use of relevant large animal models, and use and develop novel technologies for detailed characterization of immune responses.
Responsibilities and tasks
The main focus of the position is characterization of host responses in a porcine model for local and systemic infection with Staphylococcus aureus. Other tasks relate particularly to support in molecular biological analyses in other running projects, supervision of pre- and postgraduate students, and contributions to secure new funding through grant applications. The position is mainly funded by the SAIV-VAC research project where our task is to develop human-relevant porcine skin and osteomyelitis models of Staph. aureus infection to characterize the protective efficacy of a recently developed vaccine. Partners in the SAIV-Vac project are DTU Veterinary, Evaxion Biotech, Bavarian Nordic and Baylor College of Medicine with the aim to develop a vaccine against methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA) infections in humans. The Staph-MVA vaccine antigens have previously been selected by Evaxion Biotech through artificial intelligence and validated in mice studies. In the vaccine construct the antigens are integrated in the Bavarian Nordic MVA vector. At DTU Veterinary the Staph-MVA vaccine will be tested in translational pig models of skin and osteomyelitis S. aureus infections.
It is expected the post doc has previously acquired experience in molecular biological techniques to supervise qPCR analyses of host responses in the infection model. This experience will also be used to support and advance molecular biological analyses in other projects within the research group.
Research tasks include:
Design, validation and interpretation of molecular biological analyses of porcine host responses, e.g. by multiplexed gene expression analyses with our in-house Fluidigm Biomark HD or by Next Generation Sequencing
Generation and use transfected cell-lines for validation of monoclonal antibody reactivity
SLA typing of pigs for selection of appropriate experimental animals matching our recombinant SLA class I molecules
Quantify antigen-specific immune responses by flow cytometry, IFN-? ELISPOT or cytotoxicity studies
Publication in peer-reviewed journals
Qualifications
Mandatory requirements:
PhD degree in immunology or similar
Expertise in molecular biology
Familiar with bioinformatics
High quality publication record
International experience
Strong work ethic and self-motivation to succeed within a competitive research field
Desired requirements:
Experience in porcine Immunology
Expertise in flow cytometry, ELISA, ELISPOT and other immunological techniques
Experience in teaching and supervision of students
Application procedure
To apply, please read the full job advertisement at www.career.dtu.dk.
Application deadline: 20 August 2016.
Salary: Not specified
Hours: Full Time
Contract Type: Permanent
Placed on: 11th July 2016
Closes: 20th August 2016
A postdoctoral position is available in the ‘Adaptive Immunology’ group headed by Professor Gregers Jungersen at the Section of Immunology and Vaccinology, at the Technical University of Denmark, Veterinary Institute, Frederiksberg.
The ‘Adaptive Immunology’ group is currently consisting of 10 people, including postdocs, PhD students, technicians and undergraduate students. The overall aim of the research group is to use our immunological insight in the field of veterinary adaptive immunology to apply immunological correlates of protection in vaccine design, advance the understanding of human diseases by appropriate use of relevant large animal models, and use and develop novel technologies for detailed characterization of immune responses.
Responsibilities and tasks
The main focus of the position is characterization of host responses in a porcine model for local and systemic infection with Staphylococcus aureus. Other tasks relate particularly to support in molecular biological analyses in other running projects, supervision of pre- and postgraduate students, and contributions to secure new funding through grant applications. The position is mainly funded by the SAIV-VAC research project where our task is to develop human-relevant porcine skin and osteomyelitis models of Staph. aureus infection to characterize the protective efficacy of a recently developed vaccine. Partners in the SAIV-Vac project are DTU Veterinary, Evaxion Biotech, Bavarian Nordic and Baylor College of Medicine with the aim to develop a vaccine against methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA) infections in humans. The Staph-MVA vaccine antigens have previously been selected by Evaxion Biotech through artificial intelligence and validated in mice studies. In the vaccine construct the antigens are integrated in the Bavarian Nordic MVA vector. At DTU Veterinary the Staph-MVA vaccine will be tested in translational pig models of skin and osteomyelitis S. aureus infections.
It is expected the post doc has previously acquired experience in molecular biological techniques to supervise qPCR analyses of host responses in the infection model. This experience will also be used to support and advance molecular biological analyses in other projects within the research group.
Research tasks include:
Design, validation and interpretation of molecular biological analyses of porcine host responses, e.g. by multiplexed gene expression analyses with our in-house Fluidigm Biomark HD or by Next Generation Sequencing
Generation and use transfected cell-lines for validation of monoclonal antibody reactivity
SLA typing of pigs for selection of appropriate experimental animals matching our recombinant SLA class I molecules
Quantify antigen-specific immune responses by flow cytometry, IFN-? ELISPOT or cytotoxicity studies
Publication in peer-reviewed journals
Qualifications
Mandatory requirements:
PhD degree in immunology or similar
Expertise in molecular biology
Familiar with bioinformatics
High quality publication record
International experience
Strong work ethic and self-motivation to succeed within a competitive research field
Desired requirements:
Experience in porcine Immunology
Expertise in flow cytometry, ELISA, ELISPOT and other immunological techniques
Experience in teaching and supervision of students
Application procedure
To apply, please read the full job advertisement at www.career.dtu.dk.
Application deadline: 20 August 2016.