3-year PhD position in Immunology for a Chinese student
Programme: this 3-year PhD position (which might be extended for a 4th year) is only available in the context of the Joint Doctoral Campaign of the University of Lyon and the China Scholarship Council. Please find more information here: https://www.universite-lyon.fr/research/phd/phd-csc/joint-doctoral-campaign-of-the-universite-de-lyon-the-china-scholarship-council-csc--10386.kjsp
Project:
The development of immunological memory is the basis of the persistent protection afforded by the resolution of viral or bacterial infections. Following a first exposure to an antigen, T and B cells can differentiate into antigen-specific memory populations which may display faster response to antigen re-exposure.
At mucosal sites, the development of tissue-resident memory cells after viral or bacterial infection has been shown to be critical to rapidly detect pathogens and to prevent spread. However, the development of immune memory responses following mucosal infections is poorly understood. Understanding the induction of mucosal memory responses could be beneficial to develop mucosal vaccine strategies to induce long-lasting protective immunity at mucosal surfaces.
The goal of this project is to characterise the induction and maintenance of memory immune responses induced by mucosal infection in preclinical models and humans. Memory immune responses will also be examined after mucosal vaccination using model antigens and factors impacting on the development of mucosal memory responses will be analysed. Rodent models of mucosal infections and vaccination will be used primarily, even though human samples (blood, nasal, saliva) may be integrated into this project. Immunological techniques will be used to assess antibody (ELISA, Luminex, neutralisation assay) and cellular (spectral flow cytometry, ELISpot) immune responses to antigens at mucosal and systemic levels. In addition, transcriptomics and single-cell sequencing will also be used to determine memory immune signatures after mucosal infection and/or vaccination.
This project will provide crucial insights on the mechanisms involved in the development of long-lasting memory cells at mucosal and systemic levels and will help to design vaccine strategies to improve mucosal memory responses.
Candidate profile: The candidate must hold a Master’s Degree in Immunology or affiliated fields by August 2024 (start date of this project: 1st of September 2024), which demonstrates the candidate’s aptitude for research. The candidate must be a citizen or a permanent resident of China. The candidate must have a very good level of English (ideally minimum B2/C1). In addition, the candidate must have good knowledge about human and mouse immunology. Knowledge about mucosal immunity and expertise in preclinical models would be a real advantage. The candidate should be able to run immunological assays to quantify antibody responses (ELISA, neutralisation assays, Luminex assays) and to analyse cellular responses (Flow cytometry, ELISpot) in preclinical models (rodent models). Additional skills in transcriptomics and single-cell sequencing would also be an advantage.
Principal Investigators: Dr Stephanie Longet, Assistant Professor/Lecturer at the University of Saint-Etienne and Prof Stephane Paul, Professor of Immunology at the University of Saint-Etienne/ University Hospital of Saint-Etienne.
Location: the laboratory is located in the department of Pathophysiology and biotherapies of mucosal infections (GIMAP) at the University of Saint-Etienne in France. The GIMAP is part of the International Center for Infectiology Research (CIRI, ENS Lyon / UCBL / UJM / Inserm / U1111 - CNRS UMR5308).
Scholarship: the scholarship includes a monthly allowance of 1350 euros.
Contacts: Please send a detailed CV and a cover letter in English, a scan of the passport, 2 support letters in English, a scan of the Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees, and a scan of the transcripts. If you have, please send a scan of a TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge certificate (minimum level B2/C1).
Send these documents to:
stephanie.longet@univ-st-etienne.fr
stephane.paul@chu-st-etienne.fr
Deadline: 8th of February 2024
