Project description:

The project “Mechanistic investigations of host proteome rewiring upon influenza A infection” is seeking to fill a postdoctoral position at the earliest possible date. The position is limited until June 30, 2028. This collaborative project between the Quantitative Biosciences Institute at the University of California, San Francisco (QBI-UCSF) and Freie Universität Berlin, funded by the Einstein Foundation Berlin, aims not only to address a critical scientific question, but also to promote scientific exchange between the participating institutions.

Influenza virus poses a significant threat to public health, causing considerable morbidity worldwide. It is estimated that each individual is susceptible to experiencing 1–2 illness episodes due to influenza per decade. Annually, there are approximately 1 billion reported cases of influenza globally, of which 3–5 million are severe, leading to up to 650,000 deaths. Furthermore, the ongoing risk of a pandemic looms large, with potential global economic costs reaching into the billions of dollars. Notably, antiviral medications such as amantadine face widespread viral resistance, while resistance to oseltamivir is also on the rise. While these medications can alleviate symptom severity and duration, they do not offer protection against primary infection and are least effective in vulnerable populations.

By unraveling the molecular interplay between viral proteins and the host cell machinery, the proposed research will advance the field towards defining intracellular targets of viral interference at the molecular level. This knowledge has the potential to identify novel intracellular drug targets, leading to more effective strategies that are capable of providing broader protection against diverse strains of influenza and reducing the likelihood of viral immune evasion.

The project aims to establish a technological pipeline incorporating mass spectrometry, cryo-EM and computational approaches, to investigate the structure and dynamics of intracellular rewiring in response to Influenza A Virus infection. This goal will be achieved by further developing the QBI’s system biology approaches and their application, that will make use of Berlin’s wealth of experimental facilities to study the compositional and conformational dynamics of proteomes.

 

Job description:

This postdoc position will be based at Freie Universität Berlin in the laboratory of Protein Biochemistry. The scholar will work closely with Drs. Freund and Krogan who are experienced mentors and who are committed to supporting postdoctoral scholars in advancing their career as a future independent investigators. The postdoctoral scholar will have opportunities to both lead and contribute to research projects, with the possibility to travel to Krogan’s lab at UCSF (California, USA).

Qualifications:

• PhD
• Experience in at least two of the following techniques: protein biochemistry, NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy
• Experience in computational biology/modeling desirable
• Strong collaborative skills and ability to work well in a complex, multidisciplinary environment across multiple teams, with the ability to prioritize effectively.
• Eager to contribute to a vibrant group of faculty, post-docs, and students

The candidate will have full access to the technologies of the respective laboratories and facilities, including high-end mass spectrometers, NMR spectrometers, a 300 kV Titan Krios G3i and personnel trained at these instruments as part of the BioSupraMol facility of the BCP department of FU Berlin.

For further information, please contact Mr. Steffen Daehn (steffen.daehn2@fu-berlin.de / +49 30 838 54389)