Assistant Project Scientist

The Project Scientist's research will focus on defining innate and adaptive immune dysregulation in immunosuppressed transplant recipients following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Specifically, they will investigate how immunosuppressive therapies, particularly mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), affect the magnitude, quality, and durability of both cellular and humoral immune responses in kidney transplant patients. Using validated assays, the candidate will quantify and functionally profile these immune responses and employ systems biology approaches to characterize the peripheral immune landscape at the single-cell level prior to vaccination. This work aims to identify pre-vaccine immunological predictors of protective immunity and to uncover the mechanisms by which MMF impairs vaccine-induced immune responses. The candidate will assess how pre-vaccine MMF dose reduction influences the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 booster vaccination in solid organ transplant recipients.

The applicant must have a PhD or MD/PhD with at least 5 years of post-doctoral experience in immunology. Proficiency in multicolor flow cytometry, immune cell functional assays, cytokine bead arrays, cell isolation and culture techniques, as well as single-cell RNA sequencing is required.

Interested applicants, please apply via this link: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF10589

PhD or MD/PhD

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

Please provide name and contact information only.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
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