Doctoral Researcher / PhD Candidate in Immunotherapy of Viral Infections (f/m/x)

We are looking to support our rapidly growing team as soon as possible:

Doctoral Researcher / PhD Candidate in Immunotherapy of Viral Infections (f/m/x)

Institute of Virology - Laboratory of Experimental lmmunology

TV-L: 25 h/week (64,94%)

Fixed-term employment for 3 years under the German Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (WissZeitVG) for the purpose of pursuing a doctoral degree (PhD)

Your salary will be based on TV-L

Your tasks

Your future with us

Contribute to research projects investigating broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) to effectively target HIV-1 in vivo Design and evaluate AAV-based gene vector strategies for in vivo delivery of bNAb combination therapy Establish multispecific antibody-derived protein constructs to target the HIV-1 envelope protein Investigate bNAb expression, antibody-mediated virus neutralization in vitro and in vivo, and pathways of viral immune escape Plan, perform, and analyze experiments under scientific supervision using state-of-the-art approaches in immunology, virology, and molecular biology Establish, optimize, and apply immunological and virological assays, including cell culture, flow cytometry, ELISA, neutralization assays, molecular cloning, and next-generation sequencing Perform experiments using infectious viral material in vitro and in vivo (humanized mice) in biosafety level S3 environments Collaborate with national and international research partners in an interdisciplinary research

We are one of the leading university hospitals in Germany and network research, teaching and health care at the highest level. Thats why many things are a lot bigger for us: the spectrum of exciting development opportunities. The limitless openness with which specialists from all over the world work together here. Or our commitment as an employer to support all employees as best we can in reconciling their job with their goals and life situations.

This is the University Hospital of Cologne: Everything but ordinary.

Your future in detail

We are a dedicated translational research group focused on understanding the fundamentals of human immune responses to viral pathogens and on developing novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Our work combines cutting-edge immunology, virology, antibody engineering, and translational research approaches to address clinically relevant questions in viral infections.

This PhD project focuses on the investigation of AAV-

environment Present research findings at scientific meetings and conferences, and prepare scientific manuscripts Maintain detailed experimental records and ensure high standards of scientific quality, reproducibility, and documentation

Your profile

Excellent university degree (M.Sc. or equivalent) in biology, biomedicine, immunology, virology, molecular medicine, or a related life science discipline Strong interest in translational research at the interface of immunology, virology, and infectious diseases Hands-on experience with immunological and molecular biology methods (e.g., cell culture, flow cytometry, ELISA, PCR, cloning, or sequencing technologies) as well as experience working with small animal models are advantageous Willingness to conduct experiments using HIV-1infected humanized mouse models (existing FELASA certification is beneficial) Prior experience in virology, antibody research, B cell biology, or HIV research is beneficial but not required Independent, structured, and detail-oriented approach to scientific work based on