The Shlezinger Laboratory seeks a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the team at the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine in Rehovot.

Our laboratory focuses on how our body responds to fungal pathogens. Invasive fungal infections are a leading killer of patients with compromised immune systems (usually from cancer or being a recipient of a transplant). To investigate fungal immunology, our lab applies novel fluorescent reporters and imaging modalities, as well as genetic murine models to elucidate the molecular basis of recognition and killing of pathogenic fungi by immune cells.

Our work has demonstrated that the host innate immune response against pathogenic fungi, trigger fungal apoptotic cell death programs as a defense mechanism. In response, the fungal anti-apoptotic machinery counteracts host defenses and protects the fungus from host-induced programmed cell death by facilitating phagosomal escape and invasive infection. Our current projects focus on the molecular mechanisms governing innate immunity exploitation of fungal apoptotic pathways as a defense mechanism and aim to identify host-derived and pathogen-derived therapeutic targets. We are also interested in the role of host-induced fungal apoptotic cell death as a general feature of the anti-fungal immune response in various path-systems.

The successful applicant will join a funded research program to define how the innate immune system responds to fungal pathogens. This position provides outstanding opportunities that support scientific development and career growth. Competitive compensation package for the right candidate.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop their ideas with Dr. Neta Shlezinger for their own research project
• Perform data collection and properly analyze results
• Collaborate effectively with other members of the Shlezinger lab
• Prepare and submit manuscripts of their work for publication
• Present their work at conferences
• Integrate with collaborators at HUJI and outside institutes
• Contribute to the activities of HUJI (e.g. research and outreach).
• Train and mentor lab colleagues
• Participate in weekly lab meetings

Qualifications Applicants should possess: a relevant PhD (or be nearing completion) or an equivalent qualification/experience in microbiology, immunology, or a related discipline. They should be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the discipline, research methods, and techniques to work within established research program. Applicants should be able to provide two professional letters of reference upon request.

Skills and Competencies

• Demonstrated record of performing independent research
• Knowledge of MS Office applications and reference software (e.g. EndNote)
• Knowledge of relevant analysis software (e.g. GraphPad Prism, FlowJo, ImageJ)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• A proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Ability to adapt to shifting priorities in response to changing deadlines and the needs of the lab
• Excellent organizational skills
• Sterile cell culturing techniques (desired, but not required)
• Experience in imaging modalities (desired, but not required)
• Experience with animal models of infections (desired, but not required).

Please contact us at:
neta.shlezinger1@mail.huji.ac.il
The Koret School of Veterinary Medicine,
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
Rehovot campus.
https://www.shlezingerlab.com/positions