PhD Fellowship: Anti-Viral Antibodies i Veterinær Videnskab

Applicants are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Animal and Veterinary Sciences programme. The position is available from 01 April 2026 or later. You can submit your application via the link under 'how to apply'.

Title
Genetic and functional analysis of anti-viral antibodies in livestock species

Research area and project description
Introduction
This project will take a comparative approach to define genetic and mechanistic aspects of antibody responses in cattle, chickens, and pigs following vaccination or infection, using a top-down systems-immunology approach to uncover novel pathways in livestock immunity. We will integrate long- and short-read immunoglobulin (IG) sequencing with single-cell transcriptomics, plus structural/biophysical analyses of antibodies, to characterise anti-influenza responses in granular resolution. Key outputs will include: (i) genes and networks engaged during immunisation; (ii) pathogen-specific veterinary monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with defined specificity, potency, and structural epitopes; and (iii) design principles to inform next-generation veterinary vaccines. Naturally infected animals will be sampled opportunistically.

Aims

1. Resolve antigen-receptor locus architectures and repertoires in cattle, chicken, and pigs using Oxford Nanopore long reads (ONT) and complementary short-read AIRR-seq approaches.
2. Functionally characterise anti-viral mAbs induced by vaccination/infection using serology, antigen-specific single-B-cell FACS and SMART-Seq3; engineer, express and screen by ELISA/Luminex, neutralisation, and epitope mapping (cryo-EMPEM), define mAb–antigen structures by high resolution cryo-EM where warranted.
3. Integrate multi-omic data to build high-resolution immune response maps and nominate correlates of protection and vaccine design rules for precision veterinary immunology.

Project

High-Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) HA trimer immunisations

Immunisation of IG-genotyped cattle, chickens, and pigs (n = 3-5/immunogen) with native-like HPAI and emerging HA-variant trimers linked to liposomes/nanoparticles (prime + (heterologous) boost in species-specific adjuvants), as well as mRNA immunogens, followed by longitudinal analysis of antibody and cellular responses. Methods: multiplex serology; long-read IG genotyping; bulk antibody repertoire sequencing (5' RACE); FACS of single HA-specific B cells for mAb cloning (SMART-Seq3, in-house pipelines); structural characterisation of candidate polyclonal serum responses (cryo-EMPEM), and high-resolution mAb–HA complexes, with collaborators (Karolinska Institutet and SciLifeLab, Stockholm; candidate research stay).

For technical reasons, you must upload a project description. Please copy the project description above and upload it as a PDF in the application.

Qualifications and specific competences
Applicants must have a master’s degree of 120 ECTS credits in immunology, animal science, biotechnology or a related field. Furthermore, applicants must be:

• experienced with animal experiments
• familiar with in vitro leukocytes assays and flow cytometry
• experienced with molecular biology and genotyping
• familiar with bioinformatics (esp. single-cell analyses)

Experience of structural biology will be considered an advantage.

Place of employment and place of work
The place of employment is Aarhus University, and the place of work is Department Animal & Veterinary Sciences, Blichers Alle 20, Tjele 8830, Denmark.

Contacts
Applicants seeking further information regarding the PhD position are invited to contact:

• Professor Heidi Larsen Enemark, e-mail: hle@anivet.au.dk (main supervisor)
• Tenure-track Assistant Professor Xaquin Castro Dopico, e-mail: xcd@anivet.au.dk (co-supervisor)

For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see our application guide. If answers cannot be found there, please contact:

• admission.gradschool.tech@au.dk

How to apply
Please follow this link to submit your application.

Application deadline is 15 January 2026 at 23:59 CET.

Preferred starting date is 1 April 2026.

Please note:

• Only documents received prior to the application deadline will be evaluated. Thus, documents sent after deadline will not be taken into account.
• The programme committee may request further information or invite the applicant to attend an interview.
• Shortlisting will be used, which means that the evaluation committee only will evaluate the most relevant applications.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background.