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The Department of Molecular Biology seeks a postdoctoral researcher who will study parasite-mosquito interaction in malaria transmission. The employment is full-time for two years in the first instance, starting in 1 September 2024, or as agreed.
Project description and working tasks
Interactions between malaria parasites and mosquitoes determine the success of malaria transmission and are coming in focus as targets for interventions. The biology of Plasmodium mosquito stages remains poorly understood, but recent breakthroughs in CRISPR screening technologies, single cell transcriptomics, imaging and computational modelling open new opportunities to get at the genetic and molecular interactions between parasite and vector. As part of an international network of collaborators, and with funding from the Wallenberg foundation, we are growing our interdisciplinary team to tackle important questions related to the biology of the Plasmodium ookinete and oocyst and their metabolic and immune interactions with mosquitoes.
In a lab with a strong track record of facilitating the postdoc-PI transition, you will work in a rodent model, for instance to build on our unique expertise in developing large-scale phenotypic screens, or to develop other genome scale approaches to get at how molecular parasite-vector interactions determine transmission success. See our lab page for more details on available projects: www.billkerlab.org.
You will join the Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), the Swedish EMBL node, hosted at the Department of Molecular Biology. You will have access to outstanding research facilities and networking opportunities offered in Umeå, by Sweden’s SciLifeLab infrastructure and through our partnership Nordic EMBL-Partnership for Molecular Medicine.
Qualifications
To be appointed under the postdoctoral agreement, the postdoctoral fellow is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree. This requirement must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the appointment decision. To be appointed under the postdoctoral agreement, priority should be given to candidates who completed their doctoral degree, according to what is stipulated in the paragraph above, no later than three years prior. If there are special reasons, candidates who completed their doctoral degree prior to that may also be eligible. Special reasons include absence due to illness, parental leave, appointments of trust in trade union organisations, military service, or similar circumstances, as well as clinical practice or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area.
It is essential that you demonstrate a solid track record of successful research using experimental genetic methods. You have a proven interest in pathogen-host interactions, and you are willing to work in a rodent model. You either have research experience related to malaria parasites or their vectors, or you bring strong skills in another aspect of cell and molecular biology, and you explain well how you would like to apply these to the question. You are ready to pursue an independent line of research, but you must value a team science approach.
Application
A full application should include:
- Cover letter in which you describe your interest in the post and how you believe your research experience would contribute to our research.
- Curriculum vitae (CV) with publication list,
- Copy of doctoral degree certificate or documentation that clarifies when the degree of doctor is expected to be obtained,
- Copies of available diplomas, showing completed courses and grades.
- Contact information to two persons willing to act as references.
References should be provided in connection with eventual interview.
The application must be written in English or Swedish. The application is made through our electronic recruitment system. Last day to apply is 30 July 2024.
Further details are provided by Oliver Billker, oliver.billker@umu.se
More information
Umeå is in Northern Sweden and offer a high quality of life in a seasonal environment close to nature. Umeå University hosts a recognised centre of excellence in microbial research where >60 interdisciplinary research groups work in close collaboration with access to outstanding infrastructure. The Swedish EMBL node is a site of Nobel-prize winning research that provides a vibrant research environment with close ties to other excellence centres across the EMBL network.
