Postdoctoral Research Fellow Positions In Virology and Immunology

EMPLOYER:  Laboratory of Dr. Zongdi Feng, Center for Vaccines and Immunity at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) and The Ohio State University.

LOCATION:  Columbus, Ohio, USA

SALARY:  Based on NIH Post-doctoral stipend guidelines, benefits include family health insurance, matched retirement account

POSITION TYPE:  Full-time

DISCIPLINE:  Virology, cell biology, biochemistry, immunology, virus-host interactions

ORGANIZATION TYPE:  Non-profit

Job description:

Multiple Postdoctoral Research Fellow positions are available at The Ohio State University/Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, OH) to study virus-host interactions. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes both acute and persistent infections in humans resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. HEV has a unique life cycle: it is shed in the feces as naked virions but exists in the bloodstream as ‘quasi-enveloped’ particles that are infectious but not recognizable by circulating HEV-specific antibodies (Nat Rev Microbiol. 2023. PMID: 37185947).

The first project investigates how quasi-enveloped HEV particles are generated and how they infect new cells. For this project, a strong background in virology and cell biology is required. A second project investigates the role of a recently discovered capsid decoy in HEV life cycle and immunity (PNAS. 2018. PMID: 29669922; Hepatology. 2023. PMID: 37185268). For this project, candidates with experiences in structural biology or immunology will be preferably considered. Experiences in RNA biology or bioinformatics are not required but will be considered a plus.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate is expected to have excellent technical and communication skills, perform self-directed research, and assist the PI in preparing manuscripts and grant applications.

Minimum requirements:

Candidates must have a PhD or equivalent with strong research experience in molecular biology, virology and cell biology, and basic knowledge in immunology. Competitive salary will be commensurate with experience (NIH recommended salary for postdoctoral fellows). Interested applicants should submit a single PDF file consisting of a CV, a brief description of their research achievements and interests, and the contact information of three references to Dr. Zongdi Feng (Zongdi.Feng@nationwidechildrens.org).

We can offer potential candidates: 

• Up to 5 years of salary and project support
• Substantial financial support to develop new ideas
• Strong mentorship to support career development toward academia or industry jobs
• State-of-the-art laboratories and core facilities
• Affiliation with The Ohio State University College of Medicine
• Collaborative initiatives with clinical faculty

Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Founded in 1892, Nationwide Children’s Hospital has evolved into one of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals. Named as a Top 10 Honor Roll “Best Children’s Hospital” since 2013, Nationwide Children’s is one of America’s largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric health care systems providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitative care for infants, children, and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease.

In partnership with The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s trains, mentors, and advocates for the next generation of pediatricians, pediatric surgeons, pediatric specialists, and research scientists. Ohio State’s Department of Pediatrics is essentially housed at Nationwide Children's.