Cecilia Söderberg-Nauclér, Professor at the Institute of Biomedicine, is looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher/Senior Researcher interested in immunometabolism to join her research group at MediCity Research Laboratory for a fixed-term position until the end of 2024. The successful applicant is expected to begin the work as soon as possible, but starting date is negotiable.
The research group is part of the University of Turku Research Flagship InFLAMES: Innovation Ecosystem based on the Immune System, funded by the Academy of Finland.
Research project
Chronic inflammatory diseases are the most significant causes of death worldwide, and considered by WHO to be the greatest threat to human health. Three of five people die due to chronic inflammatory diseases like stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, obesity, and diabetes. In addition, arthritis, joint diseases, SLE, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), multiple sclerosis (MS), obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as allergies are major causes of human suffering leading to decrease in the quality of life and inability to work. These diseases are driven by an overactivated immune system, which leads to chronic inflammation and tissue destruction.
Research project lead by Professor Cecilia Söderberg-Nauclér focuses on immunometabolism and deals with mechanistic studies aiming to understand how changes in cellular metabolism alter immune cell functions with a long term goal to identify new prevention and treatment strategies for chronic inflammatory diseases. Immunometabolism is a rapidly developing research field based on the new understanding that TCA cycle metabolites act as signaling molecules to control the cellular differentiation and immune functions. The project aims to define the cellular activation signals that trigger metabolic rewiring to the Warburg effect, and how this controls the activation of immune cells and cellular fate via epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Slowly replicating viruses have taken an advantage of the Warburg effect to obtain an optimal cellular environment for virus replication. Therefore, studying the viral effects on cellular metabolism can lead to a new understanding about key mechanisms that control the Warburg effect and downstream immune functions and hence identification of new prevention and treatment strategies for chronic inflammatory diseases.
As part of the project, Postdoctoral Researcher/Senior Researcher will conduct studies utilizing cell and molecular biology techniques as well as virology approaches, and methods assessing mitochondrial dynamics and metabolic changes in T cells, dendritic cells and macrophages to identify key signaling pathways that lead to metabolic rewiring to the Warburg effect and downstream control of immune functions. Activity in applying for external research funding is also expected.
Qualifications
The successful candidate should hold a PhD in medicine, life sciences or other relevant discipline, and have a strong background in virology, cell or molecular biology, epigenetics, immunology or metabolic research (incl. relevant methodology), of which the latter two abilities have the highest priority for the position.
In addition to the ability to do independent scientific work, outstanding potential and established excellence in research, and strong organizational skills and interpersonal skills, including written and oral communication in English are essential.
Particular attention will be paid to international research experience of the applicant. Other academic achievements in addition to the doctoral degree are also valued.
The qualification requirements of the position are available on the University of Turku Rules of Procedure.
Salary
The salary offered is determined in accordance with the University salary system for teaching and research personnel. The salary is at levels 5-6 on the job demands chart, where the task specific salary component is 3000,49-3498,98 € per month. In addition a personal work performance component will be paid. The personal performance component is 6% - 50% of the task-specific base salary.
A six (6) month trial period applies to the positions.
What to do next
Applications must be submitted on 22 March 2022 at the latest (23.59.59 Finnish time) via the University of Turku electronic application form at www.utu.fi/careers. The link to the electronic application form is located at the beginning of the announcement (Apply for the job).
In your application, please include
- a personal statement or motivation letter containing a description of your scientific background and how this relates to immunometabolic research (max. 2 pages)
- a CV (max. 2 pages)
- degree certificates
- a list of publications with impact factors
For further information about the position, please contact Professor Cecilia Söderberg Nauclér, cecilia.naucler@utu.fi or the Director of the InFLAMES Flagship, Professor Sirpa Jalkanen, sirjal@utu.fi.
Regarding the recruitment process, please contact HR Specialist Kristiina Nuutila, kristiina.nuutila@utu.fi, Tel. +358 503135224
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