Applications from suitably qualified individuals are invited for a postdoctoral research fellowship in the University of Cape Town HIV Diversity and Pathogenesis Group, IDM, Faculty of Health Sciences. This is an opportunity to be part of an exciting HIV research team evaluating host-virus interaction, pathogenesis, cure and vaccine breakthrough infections to aid in the development of HIV-related biomedical interventions.
The successful applicant will work on a project which aims to utilize samples from the first proof-of concept antibody-mediated prevention (AMP) study in Africa to gain a deeper understanding of how HIV-1 diversity might affect prevention efficacy and to determine the clinical consequences of infection with bNAb resistant viruses. The aim is to elucidate transmitted and acquired VRC01-escape mutants in breakthrough infections from the AMP trial and will contribute to understanding the impact on VRC01 resistant on viral fitness and how this affects clinical outcomes.
Conditions of award:
• Applicants must have obtained their PhD degree within 5 years and have not held any permanent academic and/or professional posts.
• No benefits or allowances are included in the fellowship.
• As part of his/her professional development, the successful candidate may be required to participate in a limited capacity in departmental activities, such as student supervision.
• The successful applicant will be required to comply with the university’s approved policies, procedures and practices for the postdoctoral sector.
Criteria:
• PhD degree in related life sciences discipline utilizing molecular biology techniques
• Experience in PCR amplification, and molecular biology including mutagenesis and cloning.
• Ability to set-up assays and troubleshoot molecular assays
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to critically analyze and summarize data
• Sequence analysis experience
Advantageous:
• Experience in analyzing next generation sequencing data
• Experience in tissue culture
• Repository management
Responsibilities include:
• Generate DNA clones and perform site directed mutagenesis
• Perform neutralization assays
• Contribute to other HIV research projects as required.
• Compilation and quality assessment of data
• Share the general lab duties including maintenance and resource management, as well as protocol development
• Contribute to manuscript preparation, routine report writing and grant writing
• Contribute to staff and student training and student supervision
• Actively participate in group meetings including presentation of project progress and journal clubs
Value and tenure:
• The value of the fellowship is R300 000 – R360 000, depending on experience. Starting date: as soon as possible, 01 June 2022), for one year with the option of renewal for another 2 years based on satisfactory performance and the availability of funds.
Application requirements:
Applicants should submit a short letter of application stating areas of expertise, research interests, and experience, a CV including a publication list, copies of their academic transcripts, and email addresses of at least two references with whom the applicant has worked alongside or by whom the applicant was supervised. Please submit all documents as a single pdf via email to Dr Bruna Galvão (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Closing date:
Applications must be submitted by no later than Friday 15th April 2022.
The University of Cape Town reserves the right to disqualify ineligible, incomplete and/or inappropriate applications. The University of Cape Town also reserves the right to change the conditions of the award or to make no awards at all.
