PhD Opportunity in Molecular Allergology

Are you interested in molecular allergology, protein biology, and the mechanisms underlying food allergies?

We are seeking a motivated PhD student to join our research group at the Medical University of Vienna for the project “Unravelling the allergenic role of oleosins in nut and seed allergies”.

About the project

The increasing use of oilseeds in sustainable food and biotechnology applications is accompanied by growing concerns about severe nut and seed allergies. Oleosins are hydrophobic proteins that stabilize lipid droplets in seeds and have emerged as potent but poorly characterized allergens. Their hydrophobic nature makes them difficult to study using conventional methods, leaving important questions about their prevalence, cross-reactivity, and ability to trigger allergic reactions unanswered. This project aims to unravel the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying oleosin allergenicity. By combining molecular allergology, structural characterization, patient-derived samples, functional immune assays, and cellular models, the project will provide new insights into oleosin-mediated allergic responses.

Your research activities

As a PhD student, you will contribute to an interdisciplinary research project combining protein biology, immunology, and cellular research. Your activities will include: recombinant protein production, structural characterization, molecular allergology, functional immunology, as well as cellular and immunological studies. You will work in a collaborative research environment, contributing to a project that addresses fundamental questions in allergen biology with potential implications for allergy diagnosis and food safety.

Your profile

We are looking for a motivated candidate with a Master’s degree or equivalent in molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, biotechnology, biomedical sciences or a related field, and a strong interest in protein biochemistry, immunology and allergic disease mechanisms. You should be curious, eager to learn experimental methods, communicate effectively, and work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team. Experience in protein biochemistry, immunological techniques or cell culture would be an advantage.

Contact

Principal investigator: Merima Bublin, PhD, Assoc. Prof.

Contact: merima.bublin(at)meduniwien.ac.at

Research Group Allergen Biology,

Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research

Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology

Medical University of Vienna, Austria

Interested? Contact us by email for further information and application details.