Research Intern

Description: The Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) is recruiting a Research Intern to join the Basic and Translational Science department. The internship provides an opportunity for a postgraduate researcher with a master's degree qualification to gain supervised, hands-on experience within an international HIV cure research initiative. The role is focused on supporting the laboratory characterization of immune dynamics in women who participated in a dual broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) clinical trial. The Graduate Research Intern will provide technical support for the project's B Cell and Genomic Characterization activities and analyses of humoral immune responses. The primary focus of this role is the processing of longitudinal clinical samples and assisting with host and viral Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) workflows to track B cell receptor (BCR) changes and virus-specific antibody responses following Analytical Treatment Interruption (ATI). The incumbent will contribute to the generation of high-quality primary data under the guidance of senior researchers to help inform future HIV vaccine and cure strategies. Depending on performance and availability of funding, the intern may be eligible for consideration to pursue doctoral studies within the group. Overview of Duties: Brief overview of duties Single-Cell Genomics and Sequencing Support: Assist in the preparation of 10X Genomics 5' V(D)J and Gene Expression libraries from clinical specimens. Support the coordination of sequencing runs on the Illumina NextSeq platform and assist with the initial quality control of genomic data. Learn and apply basic bioinformatic steps for antibody repertoire analysis and B cell lineage tracking. Analysis of the evolution of humoral immune responses using cutting-edge serological techniques.Cellular Phenotyping and Serological Analysis: Utilize high-parameter flow cytometry to identify and characterize rare HIV-specific B cell subsets. Assist in the preparation and staining of multi-color panels to resolve distinct memory B cell populations. Perform other immunological assays to track the evolution of virus-specific humoral immune responsesData Translation and Scientific Support: Collate laboratory results and assist in organizing data for presentation at consortium meetings. Contribute to the preparation of data visualizations and technical summaries. Support the research team in the assembly of data for peer-reviewed manuscripts and reports. Present data in scientific meetings through written and oral communicationConsortium Engagement: Participate in technical discussions with research partners to ensure standardized molecular protocols are followed across different study sites. Minimum Qualifications A master's degree in medical Virology, Immunology, Molecular Biology, or a related Biological Science field. Minimum Experience Foundational understanding of HIV virology and host immune responses. Demonstrable experience with Molecular Biology techniques (such as PCR, sequencing, and sequence analysis). Previous experience working in a biological laboratory environment (BSL-2). Demonstrated ability to handle human biological specimens safely and accurately. Experience with oral and written presentation of scientific data. Skills Required Good verbal and written communication skills in English Accuracy and precision High computer literacy Report writing Must be able to work under pressure Worker Type: Employee The application closing date: 1 Apr 2026Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, kindly consider your application as unsuccessful if you do not hear from us within 14 days of the application closing date.