Researcher

Johanne T. Jacobsen, PhD; Oslo; On-site; NOK 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

International scientific environment

Growth opportunities

Norwegian pension fund

Possibility of extension

Job summary

Oslo University Hospital invites applications for a 3-year researcher position in the Department of Immunology. The role focuses on engineering high-affinity human monoclonal antibodies to combat invasive fungal infections in immunocompromised hosts.

You will develop antibody-based probes and imaging tools, study B and T cell responses using BCR knock-in platforms, and contribute to a cutting-edge immunotherapy program within an international team.

Qualifications

• We seek a highly motivated researcher with a PhD in immunology.
• The ideal candidate will have a strong background in B-cell or T-cell immunology, germinal center biology, or antibody engineering.
• Extensive experience with molecular biology techniques, including cloning, plasmid design, and CRISPR-Cas9 technology.
• Proficiency in flow cytometry (FACS) for single-cell sorting and multi-color phenotyping.
• Experience with BCR sequencing/bioinformatics pipelines.
• Practical experience in preclinical research, specifically handling of transgenic models; knock-in mouse models are an advantage.
• Experience with advanced microscopy or imaging is an advantage.
• Experience with host-pathogen infection models is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Engineering antifungal antibodies to strengthen immune defense using affinity optimization and bispecific formats.
• Characterizing effects of antibody engineering through functional immunological assays and in vivo fungal models.
• Developing engineered antibody reagents and reporter systems to detect and quantify fungal targets and immune-cell engagement in vitro and in vivo.
• Applying advanced imaging approaches (fluorescence, bioluminescence, high-resolution microscopy, intravital imaging) to monitor infection and immune responses in tissue.
• Using BCR knock-in platforms and matching T cell models to study lymphocyte responses in vivo.

Skills

B-cell immunology

T-cell immunology

antibody engineering

flow cytometry

CRISPR-Cas9

BCR sequencing

Education

PhD in immunology

Tools

CRISPR-Cas9

FACS

Intravital imaging

Confocal microscopy

Job description

A 3-year researcher position funded by the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority is available at the Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital.

The successful candidate will join a multidisciplinary team developing antibody-based immunotherapies against invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) — infections by pathogens such as Candida, Aspergillus and Cryptococcus spp. that remain a major cause of mortality in immunocompromised patients. Antifungal defense depends on the coordinated action of T cells, B cells and antibodies, yet how these arms cooperate — and why antibodies to the same fungal antigen can be protective, inert, or disease-enhancing — remains poorly defined. The lab combines antibody engineering with in vivo models and advanced imaging to address this. The position centres on engineering antibodies to strengthen immune defense against fungi, using this as a tool to understand how antibody responses can help restore protection in immunodeficiency states such as neutropenia or phagocyte dysfunction. The successful candidate will also help develop antibody-based probes and imaging tools to detect, visualize and quantify fungal infection and immune-cell engagement in vitro and in vivo, and will use the lab’s B cell receptor (BCR) knock-in platform, alongside matching T cell models, to study how B and T cell responses shape antifungal immunity.

Oslo University Hospital is a workplace with great diversity. We believe this is crucial for solving our tasks in the best possible way. We want this diversity to be reflected among the applicants for our positions, and we encourage all qualified candidates, regardless of background, to apply!

Duties and Responsibilities

The researcher will contribute to a project developing high-affinity human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to combat life-threatening fungal infections in immunocompromised hosts. The role spans three complementary areas:

Engineering antifungal antibodies to strengthen immune defense

• Engineering antibodies — both patient-derived and existing lead candidates — to enhance their immune effector functions, using approaches such as affinity optimization and bispecific formats.
• Using antibody engineering as a systematic tool to understand how antibody responses can help restore fungal clearance in specific immunodeficiency states (e.g. neutropenia, phagocyte dysfunction), and characterizing these effects through functional immunological assays and in vivo fungal models.

Developing antibody-based probes and imaging tools

• Generating engineered antibody reagents and reporter systems to detect, visualize and quantify fungal targets and immune-cell engagement, both in vitro and in vivo.
• Applying advanced imaging approaches — including fluorescence- and bioluminescence-based readouts, high-resolution microscopy, and intravital imaging — to monitor infection and immune responses directly in tissue.

Defining the T and B cell basis of antifungal immunity

• Using the lab’s BCR knock-in platform, together with matching T cell models, to generate mice carrying defined fungal-specific lymphocytes and track how B and T cell responses develop upon fungal antigen exposure.
• Studying how T cells, B cells and antibodies together contribute to fungal clearance, using intravital microscopy and knock-in mouse technology to generate and track antigen‑specific lymphocytes in vivo.

Qualifications

We seek a highly motivated researcher with a PhD in immunology. The ideal candidate will have:

• A strong background in B-cell or T-cell immunology, germinal center biology, or antibody engineering.
• Extensive experience with molecular biology techniques, including cloning, plasmid design, and CRISPR-Cas9 technology.
• Proficiency in flow cytometry (FACS) for single‑cell sorting and multi‑color phenotyping.
• Experience with BCR sequencing/bioinformatics pipelines.
• Practical experience in preclinical research, specifically handling of transgenic models (FELASA C approval or equivalent); experience with knock‑in mouse models is an advantage.
• Experience with advanced microscopy or imaging (e.g. confocal, intravital, or fluorescence‑based assays) is an advantage.
• Experience with host‑pathogen (fungal) infection models is an advantage.

Personal Qualities

• Highly motivated, accurate, and a strong drive for excellence in research.
• Good problem‑solving skills and the ability to work independently on complex technical challenges.
• Strong cooperative skills and the ability to work as part of an international research team.
• Proficiency in English with good writing and communication skills.

We Can Offer

• An exciting and vibrant international scientific environment at the forefront of immunotherapy research.
• Potential for personal and scientific growth within a dynamic, growing research group.
• Membership in the Norwegian pension fund.
• Possibility of extension.

Kontaktinformasjon

Johanne T. Jacobsen, PhD,Associate Professor and group Leader,[e-mail]

Arbeidssted

Sognsvannsveien 20

0372Oslo

Nøkkelinformasjon:

Arbeidsgiver: Oslo universitetssykehus HF

Referansenr.: 5156383304

Stillingsprosent: 100%

Contract

Søknadsfrist: 30.08.2026