Postdoctoral Fellow in Basic Malaria Research

The Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) is a world-leading institute in global health with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries. Associated with the University of Basel, Swiss TPH combines research, services, and education and training at the local, national and international level. About 850 people from more than 80 nations work at Swiss TPH focusing on infectious and non-communicable diseases, environment, society and health as well as health systems and interventions.

The Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology (MPI) of Swiss TPH conducts basic and translational research in infection biology with a particular focus on infectious diseases affecting the global poor. The Malaria Host Interactions Unit (MHIU) at MPI is looking for an experienced researcher to join the team as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Basic Malaria Research.

We are seeking a postdoctoral scientist to help us investigate how malaria parasites interact with their environment. We aim at understanding the molecular mechanisms intra-erythrocytic parasites employ to sense environmental changes and how this information is translated into cellular responses. The candidate will use the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum to (i) identify and functionally characterize parasite-encoded as well as host cell-derived factors that control environmental sensing and (ii) identify downstream adaptation responses. Our group uses a diverse set of reverse genetics approaches (e.g. CRISPR/Cas9- and DiCre recombinase-mediated gene editing) in conjunction with state-of-the-art techniques for functional analyses (e.g. high content imaging, ChIP- and RNA-Sequencing, phosphoproteomics). The candidate will work on her/his own specific project as well as in close collaboration with other group members.

Supervised by Prof. Nicolas Brancucci, this position will be funded through a Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) Project Grant and is initially limited for up to three and a half years. The salary will be according to the regulations of the SNSF.

Your position

• Generate transgenic P. falciparum parasite lines
• Generate transgenic red blood cells via manipulation of erythroid precursors
• Identify signalling pathways using phosphoproteomics approaches
• Test involvement of candidate factors in parasite environmental sensing using inducible
• Functionally analyse candidates using diverse molecular techniques

Your profile

• Cell culture (mammalian and ideally P. falciparum or other protozoan parasites)
• Molecular cloning and transfection
• Transcriptomics and (phospho-) proteomics techniques, incl. analysis
• Excellent command (speaking and writing) of English
• Enthusiasm for studying malaria parasite biology