We are looking for a motivated and ambitious postdoctoral researcher to work on a project that aims to analyse the immune system of populations that reside in different geographical areas and respond to vaccines in a very different way. The work aims to answer the question how regulatory immune responses contribute to the poor efficacy of vaccines in rural areas of low to middle income countries. This research will contribute to the development of novel effective vaccines where they are needed most.

For this project, samples are available from several field studies conducted in rural areas of low to middle income countries where exposure to micro- and macro-organisms is high. In addition, samples are available from series of unique controlled human infection studies conducted at the LUMC and other centers in Europe. You will work together with a team of international collaborators to use high-dimensional CyTOF, flow cytometry and specialized data analysis methods to gain new insights in immunological profiles associated with immune regulation and vaccine responses. You will be expected to design functional experiments to understand mechanisms underlying poor vaccine efficacy in rural areas of low to middle income countries. As a result, the  research will contribute to the development of new vaccines.

You have a MSc in the field of (bio)medical sciences and have obtained a PhD focused on cellular immunology. Hands-on experience with cell culture and flow cytometry are important requirements. Knowledge of mass cytometry and advanced data analysis (such as R) are a strong advantage. You must be a motivated, driven and enthusiastic researcher with a flexible attitude and the capacity to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary international team. The ability to speak English well is needed for effective communication within the team as well as for presentations and manuscript preparations.

Fixed-term contract: 2 years.

You will be employed on the basis of a 36-hour week. Appointment is for 2 years. Your salary will depend on your qualifications and experience, with a maximum of €4,361 gross per month based on a fulltime position (scale 10, CLAUMC).

LUMC

At the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), we are continually seeking to improve the quality of healthcare. The LUMC aims for excellence in patient care, research, teaching, training and continuing education.

http://www.lumc.nl/

Parasitology

You will work in the Leiden Immuno-parasitology Group (LIPG) within the department of Parasitology. A main theme of the LIPG is understanding the immunological basis of host-pathogen interactions using unique field studies and controlled human infection trials that are conducted within the center of infectious diseases of LUMC. The LUMC offers state-of-the-art facilities and an integrated network of life science research groups. This means that the research is conducted in a stimulating and diverse environment with excellent embedding of the project within the LUMC.