Job description

A three-year full time Postdoctoral Research Fellow (position code 1352) in mucosal Immunology/macrophage biology is available at the Department of Pathology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, The Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo.

More about the position

The position is available from August 2021 with a flexible start from August to December 2021. The position will be located in the laboratory of Professor Jahnsen at Oslo University Hospital – Rikshospitalet. The position is funded by a grant (from the Research Council of Norway), which aims to understand the differentiation and diversification of macrophages in the human gut. The project build on a recently published work using single-cell technologies to study gut macrophages.

The Jahnsen group has a very strong record in human mucosal immunology research and in this project we will collaborate with internationally and nationally leading research groups within computer science, bioinformatics, cell biology, immunology and gastrointestinal surgery. We will apply an integrated approach combining high throughput single-cell technologies with unique clinical material and 3-dimensional organ cultures (organoids). Computational integration of the data will provide spatiotemporal reconstruction of how monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation and diversification in the human gut is regulated and reveal functional properties.

The project will also hire a bioinformatician that will work closely with the successful candidate. The project will use advanced single cell technologies combining scRNA-seq and scATAC-seq etc. Moreover, the project will establish methods to integrate spatial transacriptomics/scRNA-seq/epigenomics to analyze macrophage in time and space at the single cell level.

The candidate will:

1. Establish 3D organoids from human intestine with both epithelial cells, stromal cells and immune cells to study macrophage differentiation and reprogramming by targeting experiments.

2. Isolate gut macrophages for high throughput single-cell analyses and functional studies

3. Establish spatial transcriptomics in combination with multi-color immunostaining to study macrophages in situ

The project will be supervised by Professor Jahnsen, Professor Bækkevold and Doktor Diana Domanska (bioinformatics) – all working in the Jahnsen group. The lab consists of 15 people all working on different aspect of mucosal immunology. The lab has extensive collaborations with international groups in bioinformatics, immunology and cancer biology.

The main purpose of the fellowship is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.

Qualification requirements

Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree/PhD in biology, immunology, or a related field. Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Appointment is dependent on the public defense of the doctoral thesis being approved.

Prior knowledge of macrophage biology and/or organoid technology is considered an advantage.

*Fluent oral and written communication skills in English

Personal skills

• The candidate has shown the ability to work independently and efficiently.
• The candidate is used to work in interdisciplinary teams and has excellent communication skills.
• The candidate will work in a very ambitious interdisciplinary setting, which will require high flexibility

The Faculty of Medicine has a strategic ambition of being a leading research faculty. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

We offer

• salary NOK 534 400 – 594 300 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow (position code 1352)
• a professionally stimulating working environment
• attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include:

• Application letter describing the applicant’s qualifications and motivation for the position
• CV (summarizing education, positions, and academic work - scientific publications)
• A complete list of publications
• PhD thesis
• Copies of educational certificates and transcript of records
• List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
• Letters of recommendation or names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the links “Apply for this job”. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language). Applicants, who are invited for an interview, are asked to provide educational certificates, diploma or transcript of records.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. We also want to have employees with diverse expertise, combinations of subjects, life experience and perspectives. We will make adjustments for employees who require this.

If there are qualified applicants with special needs, gaps in their CVs or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant in each of these groups to an interview.

Contact information

• Professor Frode Lars Jahnsen, e-mail:f.l.jahnsen@medisin.uio.no

HR-adviser Karoline Berg-Eriksen, e-mail:karoline.berg-eriksen@medisin.uio.no (questions regarding the electronic application)

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