Post Doctorate Scientist (IHB) - In Vitro Modeling Adaptive Immunologist

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The Roche Institute of Human Biology (IHB) in Basel, Switzerland, is seeking a Postdoctoral Scientist focused on in vitro modeling of human adaptive immunity. The role aims to define adaptive immune cell states in human CNS disease and translate these insights into improved experimental models and future therapeutic strategies.

You will work closely with a computational postdoctoral scientist and collaborate with drug developers across pRED, forming an integrated experimental–computational and translational team. Together, you will combine human multi-omic data with targeted experimental systems to define and validate T- and B-cell states in neuroinflammation, with a central focus on developing in vitro models of meningeal inflammation relevant to diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

This position is particularly well suited for a scientist with strong expertise in human adaptive immunology who is excited to build experimental systems that directly interface with high-dimensional datasets.

As a Postdoctoral Scientist, you will pursue your research within the IHB’s highly collaborative open-lab environment. You will lead experimental efforts to generate, validate, and functionally interrogate immune cell states to model human CNS and meningeal tissues, while working iteratively with computational colleagues. In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

Experimental Immunology & Model Systems:

• Design and execute experimental strategies to investigate adaptive immune responses in human neuroinflammation, with a focus on T-, B-, and stromal-cell biology within tissue-relevant contexts.

• Develop and implement in vitro model systems that recapitulate key features of CNS meningeal inflammation, including immune–stromal interactions and TLS-like organization, and model disease-relevant immune responses in contexts such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

• Perform deep immune phenotyping and generate multi-omic datasets (e.g., flow cytometry, single-cell RNA-seq, V(D)J profiling) to characterize immune–stromal interactions, define adaptive immune cell states, and functionally validate and refine in vitro models aligned with human atlases and translational goals.
   

Scientific Growth & Translation:

• Partner closely with computational scientists to translate atlas-derived cell states into experimentally testable hypotheses and iteratively refine in vitro models based on human data.

• Engage with teams across IHB and pRED—including direct exposure to drug developers—to align experimental findings with translational questions in Neuroscience and Rare Diseases and contribute to long-term portfolio impact.

• Communicate findings through scientific manuscripts, presentations, and cross-functional discussions, clearly articulating experimental insights and their relevance to human biology and therapeutic strategy.

You are a hands-on experimental scientist with a strong foundation in immunology and a deep interest in human disease biology. You enjoy working collaboratively with computational scientists and are motivated by the opportunity to generate data that directly informs systems-level understanding.

You are excited not only by profiling human immune responses, but also by building experimental systems that capture key features of tissue-specific immunity, including meningeal inflammation and ectopic lymphoid structure-like biology. Furthermore, You bring:

• A Ph.D. in Immunology, Neuroimmunology/Neuroinflammation, Bioengineering, or a related field. To qualify for this early-career position, you must have completed your doctoral studies within the last four years.

• A strong track record of productivity, demonstrated through publications

• Deep expertise in adaptive immune biology, particularly T- and/or B-cell biology

• Strong hands-on experience with flow cytometry and cell sorting

• Experience working with primary human cells and/or human tissue samples

• Experience establishing or working with in vitro model systems (e.g., co-culture systems, functional assays)

• Experience generating multi-omic datasets experimentally (e.g., single-cell RNA-seq, immune repertoire profiling)

• Interest in engaging with and contributing to downstream data analysis in collaboration with computational partners

• A strong interest in human immunology and neuroinflammation

• The ability to work effectively in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment

• Strong communication skills, with professional fluency in English

Preferred qualifications include:

• Research experience in neuroinflammation, including diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) or Alzheimer’s disease (AD)

• Familiarity with CNS and/or meningeal biology

• Experience with stromal cell biology and/or tissue niche interactions

• Experience studying or modeling tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) or lymphoid tissue organization

• Experience developing advanced in vitro systems (e.g., co-culture, organoids, or ex vivo tissue models)

• Experience with advanced immune profiling approaches (e.g., spectral flow cytometry)

• Exposure to spatial biology workflows or sample preparation

• Experience working in close collaboration with computational biology teams; basic coding skills (e.g., R or Python) are a plus

• Interest in translating human biology insights into therapeutic strategies

• Current CV: Please provide a comprehensive CV, including a full list of your peer-reviewed publications.

• Research Statement/Cover Letter: A summary of past work and foreseen fit for this role (max. 2 pages)

• Professional References: Include contact details for two references who can speak to your scientific expertise and professional character.

• Ph.D. Documentation: Provide an official diploma or certificate confirming your degree (if already obtained).

• Timeline: The initial duration is 2 years, with potential for extension.

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