FDA Research - Immune Responses to Influenza Vaccines

FDA Office and Location

A research opportunity is currently available in the Office of Vaccines Research and Review (OVRR) at the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Silver Spring, Maryland. The Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) is one Center within the Food and Drug Administration, an Agency within the United States Government's Department of Health and Human Services.

CBER's mission is to protect and enhance the public health through the regulation of biological and related products including blood, vaccines, allergenics, tissues, and cellular and gene therapies.

A training opportunity is available for studying humoral immune responses following RSV or influenza infections and vaccination in humans as well as novel vaccine adjuvants and mucosal vaccines. The participant will be trained in advanced techniques developed in the lab including virus neutralization assays, cytokine production; whole genome gene-fragment phage display libraries (GFPDL);
Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR); recombinant protein expression in bacterial and mammalian systems. The appointment will include training on mode of action and safety of novel adjuvants used to enhance immune responses to multiple vaccines using human derived cells and organoids such as monocytes/macrophages, bronchio-epithelial and nasal-epithelial cells grown under Air-Liquid-Interphase (ALI).

• Develop understanding of human infectious diseases with emphasis on respiratory viruses pathogenesis, immune responses, and correlates of protection.
• Learn to apply multiple analytical assays to questions related to vaccine safety and efficacy.
• Gain experience in multiple techniques including multiplex assays, virus neutralization, Plasmon Surface Resonance machines, protein production, and more.
• Learn skills in data analysis software including statistical software, protein modeling, and AI assisted analysis.
• Develop skills in scientific presentations both at the Lab and Division levels and in scientific meetings.

The mentor for this opportunity is Hana Golding (Hana.Golding.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of FDA and is contingent on the availability of funds.

The appointment is full time.

This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and FDA. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Participants do not become employees of FDA, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits.

Completion of a successful background investigation by the Office of Personnel Management is required for an applicant to be on-boarded  can complete a background investigation only for individuals, including non-US Citizens, who have resided in the US for a total of three of the past five years.

If an ORISE Fellow, to include their spouse and minor children, reports what is identified as a Significantly Regulated Organization (SRO) or prohibited investment fund financial interest in any amount, or a relationship with an SRO, except for spousal employment with an SRO, and the individual will not voluntarily divest the financial interest or terminate the relationship, then the individual is not placed …