Job offer for PhD student position in immunology

Organisation/Company Université de Liège Department Department of infectious diseases Research Field Medical sciences » Veterinary medicine Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 1 Dec 2026 - 12:00 (Europe/Brussels) Country Belgium Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 38 Offer Starting Date 1 Feb 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

WinWal Project: BOVIGUARD: BOVIne Genomics for Understanding And Reinforcing Defences.

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to join the BOVIGUARD project, an interdisciplinary research program aiming to identify the genetic determinants of immune variation in Belgian Blue cattle using cutting-edge systems immunology and genomics approaches. The project combines large-scale immunophenotyping, transcriptomics, long read sequencing, genome-wide association studies, and artificial intelligence to understand how genetic variation shapes immune responses and disease resistance. The successful candidate will work within a collaborative environment involving the laboratories of Prof. Laurent Gillet (Immunology, FARAH), Prof. Carole Charlier and Prof. Keith Durkin (Unit of Animal Genomics, GIGA) at the University of Liège, offering access to state-of-the-art technologies in immunology, genomics, and bioinformatics. The project has direct implications for animal health, sustainable livestock production, and fundamental understanding of mammalian immunity.

Candidates will have a strong motivation for fundamental and translational academic research, a keen interest in immunology and/or genomics, and a willingness to develop their experimental skills within a multidisciplinary team working in close collaboration between the two laboratories.

Duties

• Participate in the collection and processing of biological samples from cattle cohorts enrolled in the project.
• Perform immunological analyses, including ex vivo stimulation assays, multiplex cytokine measurements, and high-dimensional spectral flow cytometry.
• Contribute to transcriptomic studies using bulk RNA-sequencing and single-cell RNA-sequencing technologies.
• Contribute to the long read sequencing and genome assembly of whole bovine genomes.
• Analyze and integrate immunological, genomic, and transcriptomic datasets using advanced statistical and bioinformatics approaches.
• Participate in the identification of genetic variants associated with immune traits through GWAS, transcriptome-wide association studies, and machine-learning approaches.
• Collaborate closely with researchers, veterinarians, bioinformaticians, and industrial partners involved in the project.
• Present results at national and international conferences and contribute to the publication of scientific articles in high-impact journals.

Profile

• Master’s degree in Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Biology, Immunology, Genetics or a related field;
• Have obtained at least a “distinction” grade during the 2nd cycle (Master’s) studies;
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work autonomously;
• Enjoy working as part of a team.

Terms of employment

• Full-time fixed-term contract of 1 year, renewable (for an estimated PhD duration of 4 years)

Selection process

• After a pre-selection based on CVs, shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview

Further information

For questions about the nature of the tasks, candidates are invited to contact

Genetic and non-genetic factors distinctly shape the variation of the immune response in cattle.

Nat Commun. 2026 Jan 15;17(1):1517. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-68234-x.

GWAS reveals determinants of mobilization rate and dynamics of an active endogenous retrovirus of cattle.

Nat Commun. 2024 Mar 9;15(1):2154. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46434-1.

PCIP-seq: simultaneous sequencing of integrated viral genomes and their insertion sites with long reads.

Genome Biol. 2021 Apr 6;22(1):97. doi: 10.1186/s13059-021-02307-0.

Requirements

Research Field Medical sciences » Veterinary medicine Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Biology, Immunology, Genetics or a related field;
• Have obtained at least a “distinction” grade during the 2nd cycle (Master’s) studies;
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work autonomously;
• Enjoy working as part of a team.

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