The IEE Research Group focusses on elucidating the molecular, immune and epigenetic mechanisms that link the early life exposome to negative lifelong health trajectories. The team are particularly interested in the long-term effects of early-life exposure to adversity such as pollutants, abuse, and poor psychosocial and socioeconomic conditions. In order to understand the long-term consequences of such negative conditions in early-life we use an interdisciplinary holistic approach, integrating data from multiple physiological systems to understand how the early life environment induces a lifelong-programmed phenotype. Our work depends upon successful collaborations with psychologists, psychobiologists, sociologists, and economists to place biological mechanisms underneath societal problems and the health and disease inequalities that they cause.
Objectives:
The social environment in which we are embedded has a diverse and individual-specific influence on both quality of life and the lifelong health (or disease) trajectory. Working on the FNR-Funded “ImmunoTwin” project, the successful candidate will participate in the deep immunophenotyping and EWAS analysis of monozygotic twins, examining how specific stress factors in their social environment (e.g. the experience of poverty, precarious working conditions, abuse…) affects their health. Among other things, the project addresses the extent to which stress factors from social environments lead to premature ageing and impairment of the immune system and cause chronic diseases that normally only appear in old age. Immunotwinis a collaboration between the LIH and the Universities of Luxembourg and Bielefeld (Germany), and is a sub-project of the large German TwinLife cohort (https://www.twin-life.de).
Relevant publications:
Fernandes et al., Frontiers in Immunology 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34394074/
Charalambous et al., IJMS 2021 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34884490/
Elwenspoek et al., Development and Psychopathology 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31407649/
Elwenspoek et al., J. Immunol 2017 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29133294/
Elwenspoek et al., Frontiers in Immunology 2017 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29089944/
KEY SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
- PhD in Immunology or PsychoBiology with strong interest in behavioural immunology.
- Strong experience in: Immune phenotyping using CyTOF; DNA methylation (EPICS arrays); Handling large sets of bioinformatic data including R or STATA; Biostatistics.
- Independent and self-motivated person, scientific creativity and originality, strong team spirit and collaborative capacity, excellent time management, rigour, perseverance, strong writing skills.
- Fluency in English is mandatory.
The successful candidate will join a highly dynamic research environment and get access to several core facilities and relevant state-of-the-art technologies. S/he will benefit from an active seminar program, international conference attendances and opportunities to collaborate with psychologists, psychobiologists, sociologists, and economists.
SCIENTIFIC CONTACT
: Dr. Jonathan D. Turner (PhD, ADR)
Luxembourg Institute of Health – Department of Infection and Immunity
29 rue Henri Koch, L-4354 Esch-sur-Alzette. LUXEMBOURG
Email: jonathan.turner@lih.lu
IN SHORT…
- Contract type: 2-year fixed-term contract
- Work hours: Full time
- Location: Esch-Sur-Alzette
- Start date: September 22
- Ref: VD/PDBI0522/JT/ALL6
HOW TO APPLY
Applications including a cover letter indicating your motivation for the project, relevant experience and future interests; a curriculum vitae, a copy of diplomas and the transcripts of the results should be sent through our website via the apply button below.
Please apply ONLINE formally through this web page.
Applications by email will not be considered.