"Post-Doctoral Fellow: Immunology, Vaccine"

Job Details

Postdoctoral Positions in Immunology and Vaccine Development.
Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD), University
of Maryland School of Medicine. Available immediately.

The CVD involves scientists and physicians working in all phases of
vaccine development. The CVD is a highly interactive environment
that has earned an international reputation for genetically
engineering and testing vaccines against a wide variety of enteric
and other infections, including malaria, COVID-19 and influenza.
Based in the School of Medicine at the University of Maryland,
Baltimore, the CVD was established in the 70’s as one of the first
facilities to evaluate vaccines in community volunteers, both
nationally and in developing nations. It is one of only a handful
of vaccine centers in the world engaged in the full range of
vaccinology: from basic science through vaccine development,
immunological studies, clinical evaluation and field studies.

We are seeking postdoctoral fellows who will participate in
immunological studies directed at understanding immune responses
and uncovering immunological correlates of protection following
immunization and infection in humans with the long-term goal of
accelerating the development of novel vaccines. Studies will
include exploration of the mechanisms operative in the generation
of systemic and mucosal immunity in children, young adults and the
elderly and their relationship to the gut microbiota. These studies
will involve participants immunized with licensed or
investigational attenuated and subunit vaccines, as well as
volunteers challenged with wild-type organisms. Studies will
involve the use of advanced technologies and instrumentation such
as high-parameter flow cytometry and mass cytometry (50+
parameters/cell) with a focus on complex data analyses, as well as
the performance of a variety of molecular biology and immunological
techniques depending on the research questions being addressed.
These include, among others, functional assays (e.g., cell
purification, proliferation, cytotoxic T cell activity, Elispot,
regulatory T cell activity, identification of T cell epitopes, B
cell maturation and function), multiplexed
cytokines/chemokines/biomarker determinations, bulk transcriptomics
on heterogeneous populations and sorted cell subsets, single cell
transcriptomics (scRNA-seq), CITE-seq, scTCR-seq, scBCR-seq,
epigenetic landscape determinations, and role of microRNAs (miRNA)
in the regulation of immunity.

Qualifications :

Qualifications. The successful candidates should have a
Ph.D. in Microbiology/Immunology and/or M.D. degree, experience in
the study of immunological mechanisms, a strong publication track
record, be highly motivated, have outstanding organizational skills
and great attention to detail, high scientific integrity and rigor,
excellent written and oral communication skills and hold a valid
VISA to work in the US. A strong background in molecular biology,
bioinformatics and systems biology analyses, as well as experience
in flow and mass cytometry and other immunological techniques is
highly desirable. The CVD is a nurturing environment that focuses
on training and supporting post-doctoral fellows in their path
towards independence. Post-doctoral fellowships are initially for
one year, but they may be renewed annually based on progress for up
to a maximum of 5 years.

Please send curriculum vitae, a brief outline of relevant research
experience and interests and the names of three references via
e-mail to Marcelo B. Sztein M.D., Professor of Pediatrics;
Associate Director for Basic and Translational Research, Chief,
Cellular Immunology Section, CVD, and Director of the University of
Maryland Flow Cytometry and Mass Cytometry Core Facility; at
msztein@som.umaryland.edu.
Further information about the CVD can be found at: http://medschool.umaryland.edu/CVD/.
The UM is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.