Postdoctoral training opportunities studying immunity to influenza and pandemic coronavirus

University of Chicago is seeking Postdoctoral Fellows to study immunity and develop novel vaccines or antibody-based therapeutics to influenza virus and pandemic coronavirus.

These positions will involve studies of B lymphocyte and antibody responses to influenza and/or the SARS-CoV-2 viruses. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to infect massive numbers of people making it a high-priority pathogen. Control of the current coronavirus outbreak and avoidance of future pandemics is a critical and timely endeavor. A truly universal vaccination strategy against influenza must manage escape mutations by the virus and the evolution of antibody responses to and away from epitopes that differ in their protectiveness and durability. A successful vaccine aims to minimize viral escape by boosting responses to multiple conserved, protective epitopes. Concepts for the broad and permanent protection against influenza variants and pandemic threats can also be applied to control the current coronavirus pandemic and avoid future pandemics.