PhD students in VACCINATION-INDUCED B CELL IMMUNITY AGAINST LASSA VIRUS

As a joint venture of the University of Basel and the University Hospitals Basel, the Department of Biomedicine (DBM) brings together basic and clinical scientists to advance the understanding of health and disease.
We are home to more than 67 research groups and over 800 employees across six locations in the heart of Basel. Our collaborative and international environment fosters innovation, excellence, and impactful research.
The Experimental Virology, led by Prof. Daniel Pinschewer, is looking for two PhD students.
 
Join our community and help shape the future of biomedicine.
The laboratory solicits applications for two PhD students  centered around protective B cell immunity against Lassa virus (LASV). LASV is endemic in West Africa and causes several thousand cases of fatal hemorrhagic fever each year but a vaccine for clinical use remains unavailable.
Our research group operates on the basis of strong extramural funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the European Union in conjunction with generous core funding and infrastructure support from the University of Basel.
 
Select references:
Abreu-Mota, T. et al. B cell immunity to the Lassa virus glycoprotein is a correlate of vaccination-induced virus control in mice. Nat Commun (2026). https://doi.org:10.1038/s41467-026-71472-2
Kastner, A. L. et al. Durable lymphocyte subset elimination upon a single dose of AAV-delivered depletion antibody dissects immune control of chronic viral infection. Immunity 58, 481-498 e410 (2025). https://doi.org:10.1016/j.immuni.2024.11.021
Ciancaglini, M. et al. mRNA prime-boost vaccination promotes clonal continuity in germinal center reactions and broadens SARS-CoV-2 variant coverage. Mol Ther (2025). https://doi.org:10.1016/j.ymthe.2025.08.008
Martin, K. et al. Perinatal infection elicits clonally restricted T follicular helper cell responses that drive antibody-mediated viral control. Immunity 59, 1363-1380 e1367 (2026). https://doi.org:10.1016/j.immuni.2026.03.004
 
The successful applicants will investigate:

• how protective memory B cell immunity can be elicited by genetic vaccine technology, and
• how memory B cell immunity mediates protection against high-level viremia

The project will exploit a broad range of cutting-edge immunological and virological methods including innovative molecular vaccine design, B cell repertoire analyses (single cell cloning and next-generation single-cell sequencing) and somatic gene therapy-based perturbation experiments in mice.

• We are looking for curious and hard-working personalities with social skills, team spirit and a passion for research.
• Eagerness to learn, push your own limits and a strong desire to make fundamental discoveries are key attributes.
• Basic knowledge in immunology is required.
• Prior experience in immunological or virological research and/or in molecular biological approaches are a plus.

The city of Basel is one of the continent's hotspots in infection biology, with world-class research institutions and major global players in biopharmaceutical industry within walking distance.
Its excellent positioning in the heart of Europe, borders to Germany and France and its own airport combine with all the advantages of a medium-sized yet internationally spirited city with highest quality of living.
Application
 
Please submit your application via our online recruiting tool. Applications should include:

• CV
• Motivation letter
• Names and contact details of at least two referees