Post-doctoral fellow molecular biology/immunology

The ULB Center for Research in Immunology (U-CRI) (Belgium) brings together researchers from the ULB Faculties of Sciences, Medicine and Pharmacy. Its aim is to promote fundamental and translational immunology with research axis on molecular immunology, pre-clinical immunology, human and translational immunology (https://u-cri.ulb.be/ ). The team of David Vermijlen (https://u-cri.ulb.be/index.php?action=researchGroups&group=10 ) is looking for a post-doctoral fellow. This project is funded by WELBIO (Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences).

We offer a post-doctoral position embedded in the U-CRI at the Biopark Campus (rue Adrienne Bolland 8, 6041 Gosselies, Belgium) in the team of David Vermijlen where you will work together with motivated PhD students and a research technician. You will have the possibility to independently lead your research project, but with sufficient guidance and mentoring, and the possibility to learn a wide set of cutting-edge technologies.

Duration: 2 year full time, renewable.

Starting date: As soon as possible, till a suitable candidate is found

Gammadelta (gd) T cells are the ‘third’ type of lymphocytes, besides ab T cells and B cells, that can rearrange gene segments at the DNA level in order to generate variable antigen receptors (gd T cell receptor (TCR), ab TCR, B cell receptor/antibodies). These three cell lineages have been conserved seemingly since the emergence of jawed vertebrates, more than 450 million years ago. A main difference with conventional ab T cells is that gd T cells use their TCR to recognize antigens in a fundamentally different way, i.e. they do not depend on classical MHC molecules. gd T cells can have several roles, including protection against infections and tumors.

Based on past and recent findings generated by the ‘David Vermijlen group’ (U-CRI) regarding thymic development and function of gd T cells (mainly in human), we hypothesize that:

(i)                 thymic development of gd T cells in the human fetus follow unique molecular rules

(ii)                gd T cells are crucial mediators of anti-microbial immunity in early life

(iii)              gd T cells generated in the human fetus persist and play an important role in anti-cancer surveillance in human tissues in the adult

Within this research thematic, the post-doctoral fellow will focus on the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of our observations, especially regarding human gd T cell development.

• Ph.D. in biology, bio-engineering sciences, biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, medical sciences or related disciplines
• Strong expertise in molecular biology/biochemistry (for example RNA-protein interactions, immunoprecipitation, CRISPR-Cas9, …)
• Experience in immunology is beneficial
• Good spoken and written English skills

Enquiries and applications should be made to David Vermijlen at [email protected] . Please email a CV, motivation letter, summary of past research and recommendation or contact details of two referees. Selection will start in November/December 2022 till a suitable candidate is found.

• Sanchez Sanchez, G., Papadopoulou, M., Azouz, A., Tafesse, Y., Mishra, A., Chan, J. K. Y., Fan, Y., Verdebout, I., Porco, S., Libert, F., Ginhoux, F., Vandekerckhove, B., Goriely, S., & Vermijlen, D. (2022). Identification of distinct functional thymic programming of fetal and pediatric human gd thymocytes via single-cell analysis. Nature communications, 13(1), 5842. doi:10.1038/s41467-022-33488-2
• Papadopoulou, M., Sanchez Sanchez, G., & Vermijlen, D. (2020). Innate and adaptive gd T cells: How, when, and why. Immunological Reviews. doi:10.1111/imr.12926
• Papadopoulou, M., Dimova, T., Shey, M., Briel, L., Veldtsman, H., Khomba, N., Africa, H., Steyn, M., Hanekom, W. W., Scriba, T. T., Nemes, E., & Vermijlen, D. (2020). Fetal public Vg9Vd2 T cells expand and gain potent cytotoxic functions early after birth. PNAS, 117(31), 18638-18648. doi:10.1073/pnas.1922595117
• Tieppo, P., Papadopoulou, M., Gatti, D., McGovern, N., Chan, J. K. Y., Gosselin, F., Goetgeluk, G., Weening, K., Ma, L., Dauby, N., Cogan, A., Donner, C., Ginhoux, F., Vandekerckhove, B., & Vermijlen, D. (2020). The human fetal thymus generates invariant effector gd T cells. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 217(3). doi:10.1084/jem.20190580
• Dimova, T., Brouwer, M., Gosselin, F., Tassignon, J., Leo, O., Donner, C., Marchant, A., & Vermijlen, D. (2015). Effector Vg9Vd2 T cells dominate the human fetal gd T-cell repertoire. PNAS, 112(6), E556-E565. doi:10.1073/pnas.1412058112
• Vermijlen, D., Brouwer, M., Donner, C., Liesnard, C., Tackoen, M., Van Rysselberge, M., Twite, N., Goldman, M., Marchant, A., & Willems, F. (2010). Human cytomegalovirus elicits fetal gd T cell responses in utero. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 207(4), 807-821. doi:10.1084/jem.20090348