PhD in mRNA Vaccination and Innate Immunity

Description
We are looking for a highly motivated PhD student to join the Nucleic Acid Immunity Lab at the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research.
Lab website: https://www.irc.ugent.be/groups/maelfait-lab Research Project
Nucleic acids are potent triggers of immune responses. The presence of virus-derived RNA or DNA molecules activates nucleic acid sensors inside the host cell, which stimulates protective antiviral immune responses. The recognition of viral nucleic acids by the immune system is important in the context of virus infection, but is also highly relevant for vaccination. For example, nucleic sensing of nucleic acids present in SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines are thought to evoke a protective immune response.
The goal of your PhD project will be to identify the nucleic acid sensors induce protective immunity by mRNA vaccination. During your PhD you will obtain strong skills in nucleic acid immunity, molecular cell biology and in vivo mouse models of mRNA vaccinat...