Postdoctoral Scholar - Immunology: CD8 Plus T cell responses to CMV in early life

Description

The Rutishauser Lab in the Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine at UCSF seeks a candidate with a PhD or MD/PhD and a background in Immunology to lead an NIH U01-funded project to study virus-specific CD8+ T cell responses to CMV at different developmental stages in early human life (see here). This project is part of a broader collaboration with Dr. Margaret Feeney that seeks to identify features of protective immune responses to CMV in infants. Our laboratory studies the regulation of virus-specific T cell differentiation in various natural infection settings and after therapeutic intervention in people across the lifespan. The funded project will utilize high-dimensional single cell approaches (e.g., mass cytometry, spectral flow cytometry with MHC Class I multimer staining, single cell RNA/TCR sequencing) to characterize CMV-specific CD8+ T cells in longitudinal blood samples from infants enrolled in clinically well-characterized birth cohorts.

As a new lab, we are keen to find candidates who will foster a creative, inclusive, and collaborative environment. The lab has a strong focus on mentorship and individual career development. Members of underrepresented minority groups and women are strongly encouraged to apply.


Responsibilities

The main responsibility of the postdoctoral fellow will be to lead the funded project to characterize the phenotype, transcriptional signature, TCR sequences, and function of CMV-specific CD8+ T cells identified in longitudinal samples from infants. This is a position with full salary support available for 3 years with opportunities and flexibility for the postdoctoral fellow to grow their own research interests alongside the funded project.


Qualifications/Preferred Skillsets

Requirements:

  • PhD or MD/PhD in immunology or microbiology, or related field
  • Experience in cell culture techniques
  • Exceptional organization skills and attention to detail
  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Strong oral and written communication skills

Preferred Skillsets:

  • Experience specifically with T cell immunology
  • Experience working with infectious agents
  • Experience with high dimensional flow and/or mass cytometry
  • Experience with next-generation/single-cell sequencing for transcriptional and epigenetic profiling of immune cells
  • Strong track record of first-author publications


Salary

We offer a competitive salary adjusted for cost of living

Please include in Application:

  • Cover letter
  • CV

Contact: [email protected]