UCLA’s expertise in immunology ranges far and wide.
See a listing of open positions below, with contact information to learn more and apply:
Current UCLA faculty have developed best-in-class T-cell therapies for fighting and beating cancer and for world-leading transplant programs; they have made groundbreaking discoveries unlocking the genetics and cell biology of immunity and are building mathematical models of human health.
Here, now, we are harnessing the power of the immune system to cure disease.
The laboratories of Dr. Elaine Reed (Immunogenetics Center, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine) and Dr. Enrique Rozengurt (Signal Transduction Laboratory, Department of Medicine) in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA are seeking applications for full-time Postdoctoral Positions.
The focus of the projects will be to study the mechanisms of HLA class I and class II antibody-mediated graft injury leading to chronic antibody-mediated rejection (cAMR) with the aim of identifying potential therapeutic targets to prevent cAMR. These studies will include: 1) The role of the YAP/TAZ transcriptional program in promoting the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells (ECs) in response to HLA donor specific antibodies. 2) To investigate the mechanism(s) by which statins inhibit YAP function, proliferation and migration of ECs. 3) Characterize the impact of statins on YAP activity and cAMR in vivo using a novel model of heart graft allograft that develop transplant vasculopathy (TV).
The candidate, a recent PhD, MD or DVM, must be enthusiastic, have strong written and oral communication skills, be highly motivated, intellectually creative, able to work independently, and function well as part of a team. Candidates will be expected to contribute to ongoing projects and expand novel independent research projects in a collaborative research environment.
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy, see: UC Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action Policy
Applying for the position
Interested applicants should submit their CV as well as a cover letter indicating how their past research experience, interests, and goals connect to the activities of the laboratory. The letter should also include the names and contact information for at least three references. Please submit to: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF06768
University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy. UC Nondiscrimination & Affirmative Action Policy
Deadline for applications: December 31st, 2021
Department: Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
Position available: Immediately
Length of position: Full time, 2 year-funded position by the California HIV/AIDS Research Program (CHRP)
Investigating the negative impact of Type I Interferon in HIV-1 infected infants
Overview: An infant’s immune system is functionally immature making it difficult to combat infections. The immune system of infants infected with or exposed to HIV is even more compromised as reflected by a higher incidence of morbidity and mortality due to infectious causes, including other virus infections. This is in part related to the immaturity of neonatal peripheral blood and cord blood plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC), which produce lower levels of Interferon-α (IFN-α) after stimulation with viruses such as human Cytomegalovirus (CMV) or Herpes Simplex virus 1 (HSV1) as compared to adult pDC.
pDC are an essential link between innate and adaptive immunity through cytokine production and are the major producers of IFN-α after exposure to virus such as HIV, HSV, and influenza. Stimulated pDC produce IFN-α subtypes and IFN-β and IFN-ω, which have different functions but use the same receptor existing of 2 chains, IFNAR1 and IFNAR2. Receptor binding affinity is in part responsible for the functional differences in antiviral and anti-proliferative effects of Type I IFN. In particular, antiviral activity of IFN-α subtypes is shown to be dependent on their affinities to IFNAR2.
IFN-α, especially IFN-α2, has been studied extensively for its antiviral effects in acute HIV infection in adults, and its role in persistent immune activation in chronic HIV infection. Adult pDC exposed to CCR5-tropic HIV-1 show an increase in IFN-α subtypes, like IFN-α2, with a minor effect on HIV replication, and a decrease in IFN-α14 and IFN-α8, which do show anti-HIV activity. However, there is limited information on the impact of HIV infection, or exposure, on the production of different subtypes of IFN-α and IFN-β by cord blood pDC. Furthermore, little is known about how HIV infection/exposure alters the expression of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 on cord blood mononuclear cells. Interestingly, cord blood pDC from uninfected, but HIV exposed, neonates born to HIV infected mothers showed impaired production of IFN-α to TLR ligands, but IFN-α subtypes and IFN-β were not measured. A decrease in IFN-α subtypes with antiviral activity has consequences for effective control of HIV in neonates born to HIV infected mothers and should therefore be examined. In addition to differences in anti-HIV activity of the IFN-α subtypes, we need to investigate the differential impact of HIV infection on IFN-β as we found that IFN-α and IFN-β play different roles in HIV infection.
Our central hypothesis that “Neonatal/cord blood pDC exposed to, or infected with, HIV produce IFN-α subtypes with low antiviral activity with negative consequences for antiviral responses” will be tested in the following specific aims:
Aim 1: To determine the changes in IFN-α subtypes and IFN-β produced by pDC and the array of ISGs in neonatal/cord blood exposed to, or infected with HIV-1.
Aim 2: To investigate whether IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 binding and signaling of IFN-α subtypes vs IFN-β results in their differential roles in HIV infection.
The proposed research is significant as it addresses a neglected facet of the innate immune response in HIV infection and could reveal new targets for therapeutic approaches to improve the control of HIV and secondary infections. This proposal leverages the expertise of the lead PI and co-PIs in pDC biology and innate immunity, and the synergy among the laboratories will facilitate the investigation of this highly innovative and underexplored question.
Qualifications:
• A PhD is required. Candidates with a strong background in molecular virology and immunology or related disciplines are strongly encouraged to apply, but is not required.
• Preferred qualifications: Familiar with techniques such as multi-color flow cytometry, sterile technique for cell culture with BSL-2+ practices, ELISA, qRT-PCR, and molecular biology techniques.
Responsibilities - Ideal candidates will be expected to:
• Establish independent research projects, present at scientific meetings, write peer-reviewed publications
• Demonstrate ability and desire to develop grantsmanship skills for the preparation of competitive funding proposals
• Form part of multidisciplinary research collaborations
• Contribute to undergraduate and/or graduate training in the lab
• Oversee the maintenance of the laboratory.
Contact: To apply, please provide a cover letter and curriculum vitae (with three names of references)
to Dr. Christel Uittenbogaart at uittenbo@ucla.edu, Dr. Marta Epeldegui at mepeldegui@mednet.ucla.edu and Dr. Melody Li at ManHingLi@mednet.ucla.edu
We are excited to announce that UCLA Immunogenetics Fellowship Training Program is now open for recruitment. The UCLA Immunogenetics Fellowship is the most prestigious director-training program offered in the field of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics by UCLA Immunogenetics Center, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA.
The fellow will work under the direct guidance of American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI) qualified clinical laboratory directors and experienced staff at the UCLA Immunogenetics Center. The fellow will gain `hands on’ experience and perform clinical case reviews. The fellow will further conduct research within Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics in collaboration with the directors, research scientists, and laboratory personnel. Completion of this post-doctoral training program will provide the trainee with two years education and experience in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a qualified histocompatibility director under CLIA/CMS, United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) and ASHI standards.
The director trainee must have earned an MD or a PhD in Immunology, genetics or in a related biological science from an accredited institution. In addition to the education requirements, the applicant must have at least 2 years of full-time post-doctoral laboratory training or experience in Immunology, Histocompatibility, or Immunogenetics, a residency in clinical and/or anatomic pathology or other related medical specialty or have at least 2 years full-time post-doctoral training in directing or supervising high complexity testing in human Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics in an ASHI-accredited or approved laboratory. Reference letters documenting the level of clinical involvement are required.
Training Period
Open July 1st, 2020 – June 30, 2022
If interested, please contact Dr. Jennifer Zhang at jqzhang@mednet.ucla.edu
Learn More
More information about this recruitement: http://pathology.ucla.edu/immunogeneticsuic
A vibrant and collegial group of research teams, as part of the UCLA Immunology Research Community (https://medschool.ucla.edu/immunology), are seeking enthusiastic, self-motivated MD’s and PhD’s for postdoctoral fellowship positions. Major goals of our research labs include discovery of new genetic and epigenetic targets for immune modulation, exploring the impact of metabolism on inflammation and immunity, understanding immuno-deficiencies, mechanobiology of immune cells, and the development of immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune disease. Evidence of scientific success as demonstrated by first author publications, as well as strong written and oral skills are required. For inquiries, please contact the Principal Investigators directly with a cover letter a CV, and the names of three references.
Maureen Su, MD, email: masu@mednet.ucla.edu
http://bioscience.ucla.edu/faculty/maureen-su
Steve Bensinger, VMD, PhD, email: sbensinger@mednet.ucla.edu
https://www.mimg.ucla.edu/people/steven-bensinger/
Manish Butte, MD, PhD, email:MButte@mednet.ucla.edu
The Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown is currently inviting applications for Group Leaders. We are particularly interested in applications from candidates with ambitious research programs that interrogate the cellular and molecular networks underlying tissue health, disease and oncogenesis. Immunology, Cancer Immunology, Cancer Biology and Biological Circuits are areas of interest. Applications are sought from researchers at all levels.
Call for Group Leaders | Champalimaud Foundation (fchampalimaud.org)
The La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology (LJI) invites early- to mid-career applicants to apply for a tenure-track faculty position to add to our research program in immunology. Applicants must have an outstanding record of scientifc ability evidenced by a strong publication record and/or competitive funding.
Contact Information:
Applicants should electronically submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, scienti?c achievements, and a detailed research plan to: careers@lji.org.
The TRIUMPH Postdoctoral Fellowship provides training in clinical and translational research for Ph.D.-trained individuals. The immediate goal of this program is to recruit talented and productive Ph.D.s from top graduate programs to provide continued training in clinical and/or translational cancer research through didactic coursework, clinical rotations, and unique, interdisciplinary mentorships. A long term goal of this program is to produce translational scientists who can be teamed with suitable physician scientists to PI a translational research laboratory.
The training that this program provides will produce translational scientists that can be paired with physician scientists to lead unique and well designed translational and clinical research projects.
Contact Information: KSavannah@mdanderson.org
