Doctoral student in Medical Science - Viral Immunology

Om jobbet

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Doctoral positionin Medical Science

Project title: Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies for Therapeutic Use Against Influenza A Virus

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology is located at the Institute of Biomedicine at the Faculty of Medicine at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.

General information about being a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg can be found on the university's doctoral student pages https://www.gu.se/en/doctoral-studies

Duties

Doctoral education in Medical Science comprises carrying out a scientific project and completing at least 30 credits of courses at third-cycle level. The doctoral student must also write a scientific compilation thesis or monograph corresponding to at least 120 credits. For more information about third-cycle studies at Sahlgrenska Academy, see https://www.gu.se/en/sahlgrenska-akademin/doctoral-studies

Project: Influenza A virus (IAV) remains a serious pandemic threat, driven by zoonotic spillover and rapid antigenic drift. Viral glycoproteins hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) are crucial for viral entry and release. Antibodies have the potential to neutralize the virus by blocking viral entry. At mucosal surfaces, antibodies of the IgA isotype are enriched and are thought to be particularly important in controlling infection.

Our laboratory (www.angelettilab.com ) is actively investigating how B cell differentiate in the upper airways and how antibodies are able to block influenza infection in mucosal tissues. The group is a dynamic and collaborative environment.

This PhD project will combine antibody engineering with mucosal immunology. The core goals of the project are (1) to understand how antibody target (HA vs NA) and isotype (IgG vs IgA) shape antiviral function in airway mucus models and in vivo and (2) dissect basic immunological mechanisms leading to IgA class switching in the upper airways. In practice, the PhD student will utilize many methods, including: molecular biology for antibody engineering, cell culturing, influenza virus assays including neutralization, multicolor flow cytometry and in vivo work.

The ideal candidate should have a strong experimental drive and want to work at the intersection of antibody engineering and mucosal immunology. Documented experience in any of the following is an advantage: immunology work, multicolor flow cytometry, Molecular biology / cloning / protein expression and virology or infection models. As in vivo work is an integral part of the project, the candidate should be willing to work with laboratory animals.

We value genuine, personal applications. Please include concrete examples that link your experience to this project. If you use AI tools for language polishing, please state this briefly and ensure the content reflects your own experience and motivation.

Doctoral studies comprises four years of full-time study, and leads to a doctoral degree. As part of your employment as a doctoral student, you may have departmental duties corresponding to up to 20 % of full-time employment, distributed throughout your study period, and result in a corresponding extension of the studies. Departmental duties usually consist of teaching at first- and second-cycle levels, but may also include research and administration.

Eligibility

Doctoral education requires general eligibility and, where appropriate, specific eligibility as set out in the general syllabus for the subject.

The general eligibility requirements for doctoral studies are:

1. having completed a degree at second-cycle level, or
2. the fulfilment of course requirements totalling at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits must be at second-cycle level, or
3. the acquisition of equivalent knowledge in some other way, either in Sweden or abroad.

Specific entry requirements for this subject, according to the general syllabus, are:

having successfully completed the English B/6 course or is considered to have acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies.

Assessment criteria

The selection of applicants who meet the basic and specific eligibility requirements will be based on the ability to assimilate the doctoral studies. The assessment shall attach particular importance to documented qualifications for:

- specific knowledge and skills within the subject area and related research fields
- experience of scientific theory and relevant research methodology
- scientific analysis and presentation verified through an academic paper, degree project, scientific
journals or the like.

Admission and employment

Once you have been admitted to doctoral studies, you will be employed as a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg. The provisions for employment as a doctoral student can be found in ordinance SFS 1993:100. Initial employment as a doctoral student may apply for a maximum of one year, and may be renewed by a maximum of two years at a time. A doctoral student may be employed as a doctoral student for a maximum of eight years, but the total period of employment may not be longer than the equivalent of full-time education at doctoral level for four years.

Location: Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Extent: 100%. First day of employment: as agreed.

The University applies a local agreement on salaries for doctoral students.

Please note, doctoral studies at the Institute of Biomedicine requires physical presence to conduct the studies. If the admitted applicant needs a residence permit for higher education to pursue studies in Sweden, the Institute of Biomedicine has the right to revoke the admission decision if the applicant cannot present a valid residence permit no later than at the start of the studies.

Contact information

For more information about the project please contact principal supervisor,
Davide Angeletti, Professor, Institute of Biomedicine,
e-mail: davide.angeletti@gu.se

Unions

Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg can be found here:
https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/hjalp-for-sokande

Application

You can apply to be admitted to doctoral education via the University of Gothenburg's recruitment portal. It is your responsibility to ensure that the application is complete as per this notice, and that the University receives it by the final application deadline.

You must include the following, in pdf format

• Personal letter
• CV
• Diploma and transcripts showing that you meet with the general entry requirement
• Proof of completion of English 6 course or the acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies

If your degree is from a university outside of Sweden, make sure that you attach a diploma and full transcripts that makes assessing your degree easier.

If your degree has not been verified by a Swedish authority you need to provide contact details to the issuing university, registrar or similar, that can verify the degree at our request.

For information on what you need to submit in order to fulfill the English language requirement see https://www.universityadmissions.se/en/entry-requirements/english-language-requirements/

Applications must be received by:2026-02-23

Information for International Applicants

Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit:

https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services
https://www.movetogothenburg.com/

The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations.

Salaries are set individually at the University.

In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden's regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed.

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.