Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Fish Immunology/Microscopy

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Fish Immunology/Microscopy

Position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow available at the Department of Biosciences.

Starting date no later than the 1st of September 2025, preferred starting date around the 1st of May/June.

The appointment is a fulltime position and is for a period of three years (10% of which is devoted to required duties, usually in the form of teaching activities).

No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Oslo.

Job Description

Applicants are invited to apply for a 3-year position as Postdoctoral Fellow in Fish Immunology to be based at the Department of Biosciences of the University of Oslo. This role contributes to the ERC-funded starting grant project "Fish-S.H.I.E.L.D." starting on April 1st 2025, which aims to investigate the fish branchial cavity immune surveillance system and its importance for the fish defense against infectious diseases in aquaculture.

The successful applicant will join Julien Resseguier's "Spatial Immunology & Nanomedicines" group and become a key member of the Comparative Immunology team at the Department of Biosciences.

The project "Fish-S.H.I.E.L.D." builds on the recent discovery of a complex lymphoid organization in the fish branchial cavity, which includes the "Amphibranchial Lymphoid Tissues (ALT)" and the "Interbranchial Lymphoid Tissues (ILT)" in the gills, and the Nemausean Lymphoid organ (NELO), revealing the branchial cavity as an important region of the fish immune system.

The sustainability of aquaculture, important for our food security, is severely challenged by infectious diseases. Whereas the branchial cavity is particularly relevant for fish health and welfare in aquaculture, much remains to be done to understand its defense mechanisms. The main goal of the project is to characterize the newly discovered branchial cavity immune surveillance system to harness its potential against infectious diseases in aquaculture. The project objective will use the zebrafish model to 1) Characterize the gill lymphoid tissues and tonsil-like organ. 2) Decipher the rules of antigen sampling, 3) Characterize the developmental framework. 4) Study the involvements in immune responses to infection and vaccines. This will then serve as a guide for investigations in Atlantic salmon and other fish species relevant for aquaculture.

The project will involve characterizations of immune functions using infection models and nanotechnologies, immunohistology, transcriptomics, antibody assays, and advanced 3D microscopy. For this, a lightsheet microscope dedicated to the imaging of cleared samples is being acquired, as well as a workstation for VR-assisted image analysis. This represents a unique opportunity in Norway.

We seek a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow that will be primarily involved in the imaging aspects of the project. Tasks will mainly focus on using the zebrafish model to investigate the branchial cavity immune system with an emphasis on immune functions and antigen-sampling. Tasks will also include opportunities to work on experiments with Atlantic salmon.

The main purpose of a postdoctoral fellowship is to provide the candidates with enhanced skills to pursue a scientific top position within or beyond academia. To promote a strategic career path, all postdoctoral research fellows are required to submit a professional development plan no later than one month after commencement of the postdoctoral period.

It is expected that the successful candidate will be able to complete the project in the course of the period of employment.

Qualification Requirements:

• Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree in Fish Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or a related discipline. Doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the closing date. Only applicants with an approved doctoral thesis and public defence are eligible for appointment.
• Prior experience working with either Zebrafish, Fish immunology (not restricted to zebrafish), or extensive experience in both Immunology and Imaging.
• Documented solid expertise with Confocal Microscopy and/or Lightsheet Microscopy, and Image analysis.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.

Desired Qualifications:

The following qualifications will also count in the assessment of the applicants: Molecular Biology, Immunology, Fish Biology, Fish Anatomy, Histology methods, Statistics.

Prior experience with the following would also be considered positively: Lightsheet Microscopy, Immunofluorescence, In Situ Hybridization, Fish infection models, Nanoparticles, Sample clearing, Cryosection, Atlantic Salmon, Juveniles/Adult Zebrafish.

A certification to perform animal experiments (e.g. Felasa), good communication/representation skills, and grant writing skills are also desirable but not required.

Personal Skills:

• Strong motivation
• Ability to integrate and collaborate within a cross-disciplinary environment
• Ability to work independently and take initiatives
• Clarity in communication

We Offer:

• Salary NOK 579 700 – 657 300 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (position code 1352)
• Professionally stimulating working environment
• Vibrant international academic environment
• Oslo's family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

The Application Must Include:

• Cover letter (statement of motivation, summarizing scientific work and research interest)
• CV (summarizing education, positions, pedagogical experience, administrative experience and other qualifying activity)
• Copies of educational certificates, academic transcript of records
• A complete list of publications and up to 5 academic works that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
• Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link "apply for this job". Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language).

In assessing the applications, special emphasis will be placed on the documented academic qualifications, as well as the candidates' motivation and personal suitability.

Formal Regulations:

Interviews with the best qualified candidates will be arranged.

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.

If an applicant has applied for and been granted funding for a fulltime research stay abroad while being employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the employment will be prolonged with the equivalent time as the research stay, but for no longer than twelve months (thus extending the employment to a maximum of four years).

According to the Norwegian Freedom and Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience, and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps, or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

The University of Oslo is Norway's oldest and highest rated institution of research and education with 28,000 students and 7,000 employees. Its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally esteemed research communities make UiO an important contributor to society.

Department of Biosciences (IBV) is one of nine departments at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Research in the department is organised in five sections covering topics within biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, cell biology, genetics, aquatic biology, toxicology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. The Department also operates Finseresearch station, the Biological research station in Drøbak and UiO's research vessel. Education across these topics is offered for around 300 bachelor, 170 master, and 75 PhD students. With 48 permanent professors/associate professors, post-docs, researchers, technical, and administrative personnel, the Department has a total staff of 260 from more than 30 different countries. The Department aims to maintain high international standards within both research and teaching. The new bachelor program in bioscience is the first of its kind to include programming and computational modelling as core elements.

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