Job Description

Job Description
Position Description:

The NextGen Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CIEID) at the University of Missouri (MU) invites applications for a tenure/tenure-tracked faculty position specializing in B-cell Immunology or Mucosal Immunology. We seek candidates with expertise in humoral or mucosal immune responses, particularly in human cohorts, with a collaborative interest in using swine models of influenza and other infectious diseases. Physician-scientists focusing on influenza or other respiratory infectious diseases are strongly encouraged to apply. The position will be housed within the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology in the School of Medicine, with opportunities for joint appointments within the School of Medicine or other academic units.

The CIEID is a university-wide initiative supported by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, involving collaborative partnerships with School of Medicine, College of Engineering, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Arts and Science, and College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. The Center fosters interdisciplinary infectious disease research with the mission of developing precision health solutions for influenza and other infectious diseases that threaten public health and animal health. This position is part of a cluster hire initiative aimed at strengthening the mission of the NextGen CIEID.


Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will be expected to lead an extramurally funded research program, train doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows, provide academic service on campus and professionally, and contribute to undergraduate and graduate education. The candidate is expected to support the Center’s mission by developing collaborative research projects, including programmatic grants focused on transmission and therapeutic developments. Research should emphasize B-cell immunology or mucosal immunology, particularly in relation to influenza and other respiratory diseases, to advance our understanding of how humoral or mucosal immune responses contribute to pathogen transmission and advance therapeutic developments.


About MU:
The University of Missouri (MU), the flagship campus of the University of Missouri System, is a premier research institution located in Columbia, a vibrant community consistently ranked among the top small cities to live in the United States. As a Carnegie R1 institution, MU is renowned for its excellence in research, teaching, and service. With a strong focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, MU fosters partnerships across its campuses, system, and beyond, driving impactful basic, clinical, and translational research that benefits both human and animal health.

The Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CIEID) is a growing initiative dedicated to developing precision health solutions to combat influenza and other infectious diseases that threaten public and animal health. The center is supported by MU’s strategic investments, including the $6.5 million NextGen Center of Excellence for Influenza Research Large Animal Facility, which features a new ABSL-2 facility of approximately 8,300 gross square feet and designed to study transmission of influenza viruses, with the capability of regulating both temperature (5-30 oC) and humidity (10-90%). Additionally, a second $7 million large animal ABSL-2 facility under construction is located in an adjacent building, spanning approximately 9,200 square feet.

MU’s biomedical research is further supported by advanced facilities, including the $225 million NextGen Precision Health building, which accelerates discoveries through cutting-edge imaging, genomics, and molecular biology technologies. The Bond Life Sciences Center offers interdisciplinary research space for scientists tackling complex health challenges. MU also features the Clinical and Translational Science Unit (CTSU), which provides infrastructure and support services to bridge laboratory discoveries with patient care, promoting translational science and improving public health outcomes. The university is a national leader in swine and infectious disease research, and the Laboratory for Infectious Disease Research (LIDR)—one of the nation’s few ABSL-3 regional biosafety laboratories—supports advanced studies in infectious disease pathogenesis and transmission. These state-of-the-art resources, combined with MU’s collaborative research environment, position the university as a leader in research that improves the health of both humans and animals.

Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications: Ph.D., M.D., MD/PhD, D.V.M., or DVM/PhD with postdoctoral training or equivalent experience in immunology or a related field.


Candidates will be evaluated on: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Candidates applying for the Assistant Professor level should demonstrate the potential to establish and maintain an externally funded research program. Those applying for the Associate level should have an established, extramurally funded research program, a strong record of peer-reviewed publications, and national or international recognition.


Application Materials
Cover letter; Curriculum vitae; one-page summary of research accomplishments with two pages of future plans; and names and contact information for three references. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Specific inquiries regarding this position may be directed to the search committee chair Henry Wan ([email protected]).