Assistant Professor

Assistant Professor (Jyokyo) in Immunology

Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University

Following Assistant Professor positions are available in the immunology laboratory of Dr. Koichi S. Kobayashi at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan. These are junior faculty (Jokyo) positions and candidates are expected to engage in the research and educational activity in the Department of Immunology. The salary will be determined in accordance with the regulations of Hokkaido University with full benefits including health insurance. The term of appointment is 3-5 years.

Our research activity may focus on the following area: 

1) The interaction between intestinal microbiota and the mucosal immune system

2) The role of TLR and NLR proteins in the host-pathogen interaction

3) Inflammatory diseases caused by dysregulated NLR function

4) Regulation of MHC genes and the role of MHC transcriptional activator in the inflammatory/infection diseases, transplantation and cancer　using bioinformatics with large data sets, molecular biology, proteomics and mouse genetics approaches.

5) Immune responses against SARS-CoV-2

6) Vaccine development using Mycobacterium against SARS-CoV-2, cancer and tuberculosis.

The laboratory studies on the innate and adaptive immune responses, with particular emphasis on the function of NLR family proteins. The laboratory discovered the function of Nod2, a Crohn’s disease-associated NLR protein, for the intestinal mucosal immune system (Science 307, 731 (2005), Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106, 15813 (2010)), and succeeded in the development of ileal Crohn’s disease animal model (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107, 14739 (2010)). The laboratory also found another NLR member, NLRC5 is a master transcriptional activator of MHC class I genes (CITA) (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107, 13794 (2010), Nat Rev Immunol 12, 813 (2012)). Our main study is the mechanism of NLRC5-mediated MHC class I gene regulation (J Immunol188, 4951(2012), J Immunol 189, 516 (2012), J Immunol 205, 1268 (2020) and its impact on cancer and other diseases (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107, Immunity 48, 271 (2018). We found that targeting NLRC5 is a major mechanism of immune evasion by cancer cells (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107, 13794 (2016), Trends Cancer 3, 28 (2017), Immunology (2020), Sci Rep 11, 3258 (2021).) Please see our lab websites for more information: 

https://hokudaiimmunology.wixsite.com/kobayashi-eng

The Department of Immunology at Hokkaido University has a strong tradition of innate immunity research as highlighted by the discovery of interferons by Dr. Nagano and others. The Department has access to state-of-art core facilities in the Hokkaido University. Meetings in the department will be held in English. Basic Japanese communication skills and knowledge are preferred but not required. 

Applicants with Ph.D., M.D., or M.D./Ph.D. who has publications in international journals and a strong background in either molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, proteomics, mouse genetics, cancer bioinformatics are encouraged to apply. Strong candidates have either 1) experience in immunological research using mouse models, cellular immunology 2) bioinformatics using large data sets or 3) recombinant DNA and infection studies using Mycobacterium species (TB, BCG strain, etc). Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English are required.  Interested candidates should send their curriculum vitae, brief description of previous research accomplishments and contact information of three references to: Ms. Chisa Matsukawa, Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University. E-mail: cmatsukawa@med.hokudai.ac.jp.