2-year postdoc position in virology research

The Virus Research and Development Laboratory (Virus Forskning & Udviklings Laboratoriet, ViFU), Statens Serum Institut (SSI), is seeking a highly motivated and talented postdoctoral fellow for a 2-year research position within virology and infectious disease immunology.

The ViFU laboratory and the VMS department

ViFU is an R & D laboratory that consists of 9 researchers, 7 technicians and 3 PhD students. The core activities consist of development of new molecular diagnostics as well as surveillance and characterization of viruses, all including work in BSL-2 and BSL-3 facilities. ViFU routinely tests for HIV drug-resistance, diagnoses human/animal viruses by metagenomics methods, and performs whole genome sequencing and variant tracing of SARS-CoV-2. We also conduct research on exotic and emerging viruses, including viral immunology, animal-models and DNA vaccine development.

ViFU is part of the Department of Virus & Microbial special diagnostics (VMS) with approx. 90 employees divided over 5 laboratories. These laboratories perform research, diagnostics, typing/sequencing, surveillance and monitoring of virus infections including exotic and emerging viruses in both humans and animals. VMS is a cornerstone of the national virus preparedness as well as a WHO center for influenza.

Your role will be to:

• Participate in the EU Horizon project REACT (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101057129) that studies host-pathogen interactions for predominating respiratory viruses i.e. influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
• Develop and validate high throughput assays to measure antibody Fc-mediated effector functions.
• Characterize the function of virus-specific serum antibodies and monoclonal antibodies isolated in the REACT consortium.
• Perform statistical analyses and prepare manuscripts for publication.
• Participate in ViFU/VMS meetings and present data at consortium meetings and conferences.
• Contribute to continued development and support ViFUs activities with state-of-the-art virologic and immunological methods.

The ideal candidate (education, experience and personal qualifications):

You are a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow holding a Ph.D. in life sciences with documented experience in virology and immunology. In addition, you have:

• Experience with assay development, flow cytometry, ELISA, mammalian cell culture, virus propagation, and cell-based assays.
• A keen understanding of antibody structure and function.
• Experience with Fc-mediated effector function assays e.g. antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, phagocytosis, and complement deposition will be an advantage.

You are self-motivated, proactive, structured, methodical, and goal-oriented. You thrive working independently and also have a team spirit. In addition, you:

• Have good collaboration skills and experience of collaborations in international projects.
• Are proficient in the English language (written and spoken).
• Thrive to work with tasks of great relevance for public health in small and large research projects.

The project

Lower respiratory tract infections resulting from seasonal epidemics and pandemics are among the leading causes of death globally. Few antiviral drugs have been approved for treating lower respiratory tract infections caused by influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2. This paucity underscores the need for a better understanding of host-virus interaction during infection, to identify novel therapeutic targets. To address this unmet need, the EU-funded REACT project will investigate cellular, humoral and innate immunity during infection from these viruses. The REACT consortium unites a multidisciplinary team of experts in virology, immunology, clinical medicine, epidemiology, and bioinformatics from Denmark, Sweden, Spain and South Africa. In characterised, ethnically diverse, clinical cohorts comprising patients with varying disease severities, we will genotype both virus and host, map deep immunological phenotypes spanning cellular, humoral and innate immunity, and characterise host responses in human nasal epithelial organoid models following viral infection.

At Statens Serum Institute, we will hone in on antibody effector functions of serum antibodies and monoclonal antibodies, that include Fab-directed virus inhibition (virus neutralization and neuraminidase inhibition) and Fc-mediated effector functions (antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent phagocytosis). To this end, the postdoctoral fellow will develop high throughput assays to measure antibody functions, validate the assays, and quantitate antibody responses in relevant patient cohorts. We anticipate that the work will lead to publication, thus providing an opportunity for the candidate to expand their publication portfolio.

Conditions of employet

The employment will be in accordance with the terms of the collective agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Federation of Professional Associations (AC-overenskomsten) and the Danish Ministry of Taxation’s circular concerning the job structure for scientific staff working with research at sector research institutions (Stillingsstruktur for videnskabeligt personale med forskningsopgaver ved sektorforskningsinstitutioner).

Your research qualifications will be assessed by a scientific assessment committee in accordance with the current Danish rules for employment of scientific staff working with research at sector research institutions in Denmark. In order to assess the research qualifications, a list of publications and 2-3 scientific works must be submitted.

More information

Contact Professor DMSc ViFU Laboratory chief Anders Fomsgaard, , Tel: +45- 3268 3460 or M: 4063 4638.

Application

Send your application with CV and proof of educations electronically Click “apply” to send your job application.

Application dead-line: 6th of February 2023 24:00 o’clock. Applications submitted other ways will not be considered. Job interviews are expected in week 6-7, 2023; job start 1st March 2023 or as agreed thereafter.

Department: ,

Location: Artillerivej 5, København S, Danmark