Postdoctoral Researcher in Virology

The successful candidate will join the Smyth laboratory to investigate RNA structural mechanisms regulating HIV-1 genome packaging and replication. The project aims to elucidate how structural rearrangements within the HIV-1 5′ untranslated region coordinate genome dimerization, selective packaging, reverse transcription, and exclusion of spliced viral RNAs. The work combines RNA structural biology, molecular virology, high-throughput sequencing, and bioinformatics to identify novel regulatory mechanisms and evaluate their potential as antiviral targets. The postdoctoral researcher will lead the experimental implementation of the project work packages, develop expertise in structural and functional analysis of viral RNA molecules and contribute to interdisciplinary collaborations in RNA biophysics and HIV molecular virology.