Postdoctoral Research Position: Mosquito immunity and malaria transmission - Befattningen är under tillsättning eller redan tillsatt, och det är inte längre möjligt att lämna in en ansökan

Department of Molecular Biology

The department provides a vibrant interfaculty research environment and there is access to a wide range of state-of-the-art imaging, metabolomics, genomics and screening facilities.

Project description and tasks

The position. You will join a research team that is part of the Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), which is internationally well-connected through the EMBL (European Molecular Biology Laboratory) Nordic Partnership for Molecular Medicine. The Billker lab is looking for a postdoc to join an interdisciplinary research team. The project forms part of a major effort funded by the European Research Council and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation to systematically identify parasite and host gene functions in malaria transmission. The position is full time for two years and is placed at the Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Sweden. The position is expected to start in January 2019 or as otherwise agreed. The research project is long-term and we expect that new positions continuously will be announced in the Project.

The project. The development of new strategies to block malaria parasite infectivity to their mosquito vectors is considered a priority in ongoing efforts to eradicate malaria. Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that determine vector capacity has remained rudimentary, but preliminary data from our laboratory suggest that there is a great functional diversity among mosquito immune cells. The aim of the project is to us vector capacity of Anopheles mosquitoes as a model to identify new principles of innate immunity and their molecular mechanisms.

Description of tasks. You will conduct research to identify and characterize new innate immune mechanisms relevant to the transmission of malaria parasites by Anopheles mosquitoes.

Qualifications

You have a recent PhD in cell or molecular biology, as well as a proven ability to deliver high-quality scientific outputs through publications in leading journals or your discipline. To be eligible you should have completed your PhD degree a maximum of three years before the end of the application period, unless special circumstances exist. You should be able to work as well independently as in a team. Your track record needs to show evidence of a strong understanding and proven experience in cell biology, molecular signaling pathways and innate immunity. You are proficient in oral and written communication in English. You should be able to communicate your science effectively and to develop creative approaches to solving scientific problems.

Application

The application should include:

• A personal cover letter explaining why you are interested in the position, how you can contribute to the project and in which direction you may want to develop it (no more than 2 A4 pages).
• A curriculum vitae that documents academic education and past and previous employments.
• Your publication list.
• A copy of the PhD certificate.
• Names and contact details with e-mail addresses of two to three academic references.
• Other relevant documentation you wish to include in support of your application.

The application shall be written in English (preferably) or Swedish. You apply through our recruitment system. Log into the system and apply via the button at the bottom of the webpage. The deadline for application is 2018-12-10.

For additional information, visit our lab page (https://billkerlab.org), or contact Professor Oliver Billker (oliver.billker@umu.se). More information about the department http://www.molbiol.umu.se/English.