Post-doctoral Research Associate

About Us

The School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences at King’s College London (KCL), along with its Department of Infectious Diseases, enjoys international acclaim for employing a wide range of methodologies to investigate infectious diseases and promote health and well-being. The School and Department are home to leading experts in immunology, pathogen molecular biology, and host-pathogen interactions, bringing together extensive knowledge, skills, and experience. Located on the Guy’s campus, the Department benefits from close ties with clinical teams at the neighbouring Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust.

The Galao lab, also situated on the Guy’s campus, has access to fully supported facilities for tissue culture, microscopy, flow cytometry, and molecular biology, all of which will be utilized in the proposed project.

The Galao lab focuses on understanding how RNA viruses interact with the host immune system, with particular attention to mechanisms by which viruses like SARS-CoV-2 are countered by host defences and how they evolve strategies to evade immune detection. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rui-Galao

About the role

We are seeking a talented and highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) to join the laboratory of Dr Rui Galão in the Department of Infectious Diseases at King’s College London. The successful candidate will be responsible for designing, conducting, analysing, and presenting experimental research focused on characterising the evolution of immune evasion mechanisms in SARS-CoV-2. This work will concentrate on viruses isolated from immunocompromised individuals with long-term persistent infections, as well as on newly emerging variants of concern (VOCs).

We are seeking a highly motivated candidate that has obtained (or will obtain soon) a PhD in a relevant subject (i.e. virology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, cell biology). Experience working with pathogens (ideally viruses) and/or host immunity is essential.  

The lab uses a combination of molecular techniques (e.g. nanopore-based sequencing, reverse genetics, immunoblotting, luciferase-based assays, RT-qPCR, microscopy) to study virus evolution and innate/adaptive immunity in the context of viral infection. Prior experience in some of these techniques is desirable.

Research in the Galão lab explores diverse aspects of RNA virus–host interactions, with a particular emphasis on the immune response to viral infection. Our recent efforts have focused on understanding how SARS-CoV-2 evolves in immunocompromised hosts and how these adaptations enable the virus to evade both innate and adaptive immune defences. We aim to uncover the evolutionary processes contributing to the emergence and transmission of VOCs.

Gaining insight into these mechanisms is crucial for informing the development of both improved and novel therapeutic strategies, and for anticipating the evolutionary trajectories of other viruses with pandemic potential.

Our current research programme is structured around three central themes. To address these, we employ whole-genome sequencing, viral isolates from individuals with chronic infections, and reverse genetics systems as key investigative tools:

• How does SARS-CoV-2 continue to adapt and develop new strategies for immune evasion during prolonged infections?
• What are the molecular determinants that regulate the activity of viral immune antagonists?
• Detection of emerging VOCs, and initial characterisation of their capacity to evade host immune responses.

This is a full-time (35 hours per week), and you will be offered an a fixed-term contract until 31 January 2027.

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development.

Please address any informal queries to rui_pedro.galao@kcl.ac.uk

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