The HIV Pathogenesis Programme (HPP) at the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN) and the  Kwon Laboratory (www.kwonlab.org) at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard at Harvard Medical School have an opening for a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to study mechanistic links between the vaginal microbiome and adverse reproductive outcomes, following up on recent studies published by our group in Cell, Immunity, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Nature Microbiology, and Cell Host and Microbe. This includes examination of the role of the vaginal microbiome that impact host mucosal immunity and HIV acquisition risk using novel model systems of the genital epithelium, resident immune cells, and microbes. The person hired will work under the co-supervision of Drs. Thumbi Ndung’u and Kwon conducting patient-oriented translational research using samples from well characterized cohorts in in sub-Saharan Africa involving transcriptional and immunologic profiling of mucosal immune populations and the microbiome, with the aim of generating new approaches to treat and prevent adverse outcomes associated with specific vaginal microbial communities. The project will specifically involve the use of cutting-edge technologies such as single cell RNA sequencing and bioinformatics. The fellow will be based at UKZN in Durban, South Africa but will also undergo training at the Ragon Institute in Cambridge, MA USA.

Candidates will have ample opportunities to acquire and develop new skills, work closely with the PI and collaborators, and communicate results to the scientific community through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications while working in a supportive, highly collaborative, and energetic environment. State-of-the-art facilities are available within an exceptional research setting.

See the attached advertisement for more information and details on how to apply.

Closing date: 31 January 2025