Postdoctoral Associate - Martins Lab

Work Type: Full Time
Location: Palm Beach, Florida

About the role

The Martins lab at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology is seeking a Postdoctoral Associate. Our research focuses on developing a “one-shot” functional cure for HIV/AIDS by leveraging gene therapy to engineer long-lived host cells to continuously produce HIV-1 IgG therapeutics in vivo. This approach aims to prevent viral replication without antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Using nonhuman primates as a preclinical model, we have demonstrated that a single dose of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors can result in stable expression of HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) for years. This strategy has shown potential in blocking simian-HIV (SHIV) infection in mucosal challenge models and preventing virus rebound following ART interruption in SHIV-infected macaques. However, AAV-expressed bNAbs often induce host immune responses that restrict expression and lead to treatment failure. A key focus of our lab is understanding why these anti-drug antibody (ADA) responses occur in some animals but not others, with the goal of developing strategies to suppress these unwanted immune reactions.

Responsibilities

• Project management, including meetings, bookkeeping, and purchasing of reagents and supplies
• Grant and manuscript writing
• Cloning, cell culture, ELISAs, protein expression and purification
• Data analysis and interpretation

Requirements

• Ph.D. in immunology, virology, or a related discipline
• Evidence of productivity from publications in high-quality journals (manuscripts accepted for publication may also be considered)
• Significant expertise in the design and production of gene therapy vectors
• Verbal and written communication skills in English, with strong organizational and analytical abilities
• Strong managerial and organizational skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with immunological techniques, including flow cytometry, ELISA, immunofluorescence, RNA/DNA scope
• Proficiency in molecular biology assays, such as qPCR and advanced cloning
• Experience with preclinical models of HIV/AIDS
• Familiarity with next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics

Health Assessment Required: Yes