Senior Research Scientist - Influenza Aerosol and Transmission Biology; Dual Posted

Life Sciences Center.

The Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CIEID) at the University of Missouri is seeking a highly motivated Research Scientist or Senior Research Scientist to strengthen and help lead an expanding interdisciplinary research program in influenza aerosol biology and airborne transmission. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to assume a central scientific leadership role in a multidisciplinary P01 program focused on influenza transmission as part of the NIAID Influenza Transmission Research Consortium (ITRC), as well as complementary NIH R01-supported research on influenza transmission.

Together, these programs integrate human studies, controlled animal transmission models, aerosol science, virology, immunology, engineering, and quantitative analysis.

A major goal of the transmission program is to understand why infected hosts differ in the amount and infectivity of virus released into aerosols and why exposure results in infection in some recipients but not others. The scientist will help define the mechanisms that govern influenza transmission by integrating viral, host, immune, aerosol, and environmental factors across human studies and controlled animal models.

Research will encompass viral determinants of transmission, infectious virus shedding, aerosol generation and characterization, recipient susceptibility, particle transport and airflow, and other mechanisms governing airborne transmission. We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in aerosol science, respiratory transmission, engineering, or related areas who can provide scientific and technical leadership and advance interdisciplinary transmission research across the P01 and R01 programs.

• Provide scientific leadership for interdisciplinary research on influenza aerosol biology and airborne transmission, guiding experimental strategy, study design, scientific execution, and integration across human and animal studies. Provide scientific guidance and mentorship to postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research staff.
• Lead the scientific design and execution of influenza transmission studies across human studies and controlled animal models, working closely with study coordinators and research teams.
• Provide hands‑on participation, as scientifically appropriate, in animal infection and exposure studies, aerosol sampling, specimen collection, and related experimental procedures.
• Investigate viral, host, immune, aerosol, and environmental determinants of infectious virus shedding, aerosol generation, recipient susceptibility, and airborne transmission.
• Lead and advance experimental approaches for studying respiratory aerosols and airborne transmission, including aerosol characterization, particle-size distributions, infectious virus content and stability, bioaerosol collection, and aerosol instrumentation, with emphasis on method development, optimization, validation, and troubleshooting.
• Contribute to studies of airflow, particle transport, aerosol behavior, and other physical and quantitative mechanisms of airborne transmission by working with engineering and modeling teams as appropriate to the scientist's expertise and individual projects.
• Integrate aerosol, virologic, immunologic, clinical, environmental, and transmission data; analyze and interpret research findings; and contribute substantially to manuscripts, presentations, progress reports, grant applications, and collaborative publications. At the Senior Research Scientist level, assume greater responsibility for scientific project leadership, cross‑project scientific integration, mentoring, and development of new research directions.

The Center for Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases (CIEID) at the University of Missouri provides a highly collaborative environment for interdisciplinary research on influenza and other emerging respiratory viruses. The Center brings together investigators with expertise in virology, immunology, aerosol science, engineering, animal models, genomics, computational biology, and public health, creating a strong environment for studying influenza transmission across disciplinary boundaries.

The program draws on expertise and resources across the School of Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Engineering, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, Bond Life Sciences Center, and Institute for Data…