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Postdoctoral Position

Department of Medical Parasitology, NYU School of Medicine

Imaging Malaria Immunobiology

Advances in our understanding of the molecular and cell biology of the malaria parasite have led to new vaccine development efforts leading to a pipeline of over 40 candidates undergoing clinical phase I–III trials. Vaccine-induced CD4+ and CD8+ T cells specific for pre-erythrocytic stage antigens have been found to express cytolytic and multi-cytokine effector functions that support a key role for these T cells within the hepatic environment. However, little is known of the cellular interactions that occur during the effector phase in which the intracellular hepatic stage of the parasite is targeted and destroyed. Considering the unique immune properties of the liver, it is conceivable that the different hepatic antigen-presenting cells including hepatocytes, dendritic cells, Kupffer cells, stellate cells, and sinusoidal endothelia, fulfill distinct but complementary roles during the effector phase against Plasmodium liver stages. For more information, see the recent review “Cellular effector mechanisms against Plasmodium liver stages” by Ute Frevert and Elizabeth Nardin in Cellular Microbiology. 

In the course of the past years, we have established various microscopic approaches to monitor the behavior of malaria sporozoites deposited by anopheline mosquitoes into the skin, sporozoite infection of the liver, merozoite emergence from infected hepatocytes, and sequestration of malaria-infected erythrocytes within the microvasculature of the brain. Live-cell imaging revealed the dynamics of the cytotoxic attack of human Plasmodium falciparum-specific CD4+ T cells upon recognition of target cells presenting cognate antigen. The available project focuses on cell biological aspects of the interaction between malaria-specific effector T cells and Plasmodium-infected hepatocytes as well as hepatic antigen-presenting cells. Techniques such as maintenance of T cell clones, purification and cultivation of various liver cell types, Plasmodium sporozoite isolation and invasion experiments, cellular cytotoxicity assays, live cell imaging, immunolabeling, and confocal microscopy will be involved. 
Drs. Nardin and Frevert collaborate extensively with each other and with colleagues within the department and at other academic and industrial institutions. This provides numerous opportunities for postdoctoral fellows to engage in collaborative research that broadens their investigative and networking horizons. 

This postdoctoral position will be supported by a training grant from the NIH/NIAID and is accordingly limited to applicants who are US citizens or permanent residents. 

Interested applicants with a strong background in microscopic imaging, cell biology of protozoan parasites, cellular immunology, or immunobiology of the liver should consult the research of Elizabeth Nardin, PhD, and Ute Frevert, DVM, PhD, on the website of the Department of Medical Parasitology (http://www.med.nyu.edu/parasitology/). Please send a curriculum vitae that includes a short description of research interests, training and experience and three references to Dr. Ute Frevert, Department of Medical Parasitology, NYU School of Medicine, 341 E 25 St, New York, NY 10010, or by email to [log in to unmask] 
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Ute Frevert, DVM, PhD
NYU School of Medicine
Department of Medical Parasitology
341 E 25 St
New York, NY 10010
Tel: 212-263-6755
Fax: 212-263-8116
New email: [log in to unmask]

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