Overview of the Job

Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) seeks a postdoctoral candidate to work on an NIH-funded project investigating human immune development in the first 1000 days of life.

This three-year postdoctoral position in the Leslie Group at AHRI in Durban, South Africa, is embedded in a recently awarded NIH-funded project exploring the impact of sex differences on immune system development during the first 1000 days of life. Data from numerous infectious diseases indicate that females tend to make more effective immune responses to natural infection and vaccination than males. On the other hand, they can also suffer more immunopathology, autoimmune disease, and serious adverse events from vaccines as a consequence of an over-exuberant immune response. In this project, we seek to demonstrate that substantial immune sex differences originate in very early life, starting in utero, and are important in affecting outcomes from infections and vaccines. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these early life immune sex differences is a critical first step to developing sex-specific strategies for improving infection and vaccine health outcomes. This project is part of an international collaborative project of experts in human immunology and infectious disease research based in South Africa (Alasdair Leslie and Veron Ramsuran), the UK (including Phillip Goulder, Paul Klennerman), and the US (Galit Alter). The project will therefore involve regular interactions with this extensive international research network and is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious postdoc looking to develop their career.

Requirements

Qualifications and experience: 

• Ph.D. in a relevant subject (Immunology, Biology, or a related field)
• Experience with high dimensional flow cytometry and data analysis
• Experience with cell culture and in vitro immune assays
• Knowledge of infectious disease research is preferable but not essential (particularly HIV and/or TB)
• Ability to prepare results for publication and draft own manuscripts
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Good interpersonal skills and team orientated