Research professor in Virology of DNA viruses (BOFZAP)

The Molecular Structural and Translational Virology research group at the Rega Institute for Medical Research, a key pillar of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation at KU Leuven, invites scientists to apply for a full-time research position at the Faculty of Medicine of KU Leuven. The Rega Institute is a globally leading center for the development of antiviral drugs with an internationally recognized reputation in various fields of drug development, thanks to its acquired state-of-the-art expertise, excellent infrastructure, and success stories in drug development. The Rega Institute has not only contributed to the development of antivirals against herpes, retroviruses, and hepadnaviruses but has also developed a translational research platform, RegaVir, for typing drug resistance in DNA viruses.

We are seeking motivated and internationally oriented candidates with an excellent research record and teaching competence in the field of human DNA viruses. With the retirement of two professors conducting translational research in the DNA virus research group of the Research Group on Molecular Structural and Translational Virology, the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation wishes to further expand its team of research professors. This position utilizes resources made available by the Flemish Government through the Special Research Fund (BOFZAP).

Candidates with a strong research record (publications and/or extramural grant support) in the field of DNA viruses, with a focus on viral pathogenesis, virus-host interactions, or the discovery of antiviral drugs, are strongly encouraged to apply.

The appointment is scheduled for September 1, 2027. Applications will be evaluated in parallel and independently of each other by 1) the Research Council of KU Leuven in a competitive procedure across all research domains and 2) the Faculty Review Committee. During the first 10 years, teaching obligations as a research professor will be limited. After this period, the position will be converted into a regular academic position.

Unit website

Research

It is part of the appointed candidate’s mandate to develop an international, competitive research program within the domain of human DNA viruses, to pursue excellent scientific results of an international standard, and to support and promote national and international research collaborations. The candidate must possess a strong research profile or have the potential to do so. Furthermore, a multidisciplinary approach is expected from the candidate, as well as a willingness to collaborate intensively with other researchers and research units at KU and the University Hospital (UZ Leuven).

The candidate:

• Is an excellent, internationally oriented researcher and is developing his own research program in the domain of human DNA viruses.
• Building his own research group. 
• Publishes articles at the highest scientific level in various leading international journals in the field of virology and/or broader top international journals.
• Focuses strongly on the development and exploration of emerging technologies and treatment strategies for various DNA viruses.
• Supervises Master’s students, PhD students, and postdocs at a high international level.
• Aims to acquire competitive research funding from national and/or international funds and submits effective research project proposals to that end. 
• Establish partnerships both within KU Leuven and (inter)nationally in the context of the research program.
• Strives for excellence in research and thereby contributes to the international standing and research reputation of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, the Biomedical Sciences Group, and KU Leuven.
• Has a strong interest in fundamental research into DNA viruses, but also actively pursues the valorization and application of these findings, for example societal applicability (transfer of fundamental and clinical research to the relevant patient group) on the one hand, and applied research with an industrial finality on the other. The candidate can identify and pursue the potential valorization of the research results in collaboration with clinicians (societal valorization) or with a valorization manager and the technology transfer unit Leuven Research and Development (industrial finality).

Education

Although this concerns an appointment as a research professor, the candidate is expected to gradually contribute to state-of-the-art education. 

The duties of the candidate to be appointed also include a limited teaching assignment.

He/she will contribute to the general educational project of KU Leuven by providing high-quality training, guidance, and supervision to bachelor, master, and doctoral students in the laboratory as part of their thesis. The candidate also contributes to the pedagogical project of the faculty/university. He/she develops teaching in accordance with KU Leuven’s vision on active and research-based education and makes use of the opportunities for educational professionalization offered by the faculty and the university.

Services

Scientific, societal, and internal service provision (administrative and/or managerial) are also part of your assignment.

Requirements

• You have an MD/PhD or a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medical or Biomedical Sciences, (Molecular) Biology, Life Science Engineering, or an equivalent degree. 
• You preferably have 5 years of postdoctoral experience and expertise with drug development programs.
• You possess an excellent research record in the field and unquestionable investigative integrity.
• The quality of your research is demonstrated by publications in prominent/leading international top journals. The high quality of your research must be demonstrated by high-impact publications as first and/or last author in international peer-reviewed journals.
• You have demonstrable qualities for academic teaching. Teaching experience is a plus.
• You possess organizational skills and a collegial attitude. You also have leadership capabilities within a university context.
• Your spoken and written English is excellent. The administrative language at KU Leuven is Dutch. If you have no or insufficient knowledge of Dutch upon recruitment, KU Leuven provides training designed to enable you to participate in board meetings. Before you teach in Dutch or English, you will be offered the opportunity to acquire the necessary knowledge of Dutch or English, respectively.

Offer

• We offer full-time employment in an intellectually challenging environment. KU Leuven is a research-intensive, internationally oriented university that conducts both fundamental and applied scientific research. It is strongly inter- and multidisciplinary oriented and strives for international excellence. To this end, it actively collaborates with its research partners at home and abroad. It offers its students an academic education based on high-level scientific research. 
• Depending on your qualifications and academic experience, you will be appointed or nominated to one of the ranks of the independent academic staff: Lecturer, Associate Professor, or (Full) Professor. Junior candidates are, in principle, appointed as lecturers on the tenure track. In the event of a positive evaluation after 5 years, the tenure track leads to an appointment as Associate Professor. 
• You work in Leuven, a historic yet dynamic and lively city in the center of Belgium, twenty minutes from Brussels, the capital of the European Union, and less than two hours from Paris, London, and Amsterdam. 
• KU Leuven is well-equipped to welcome foreign professors and their families and offers practical support regarding immigration and administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, partner career coaching, etc. 
• To facilitate scientific integration and research in the first phase, seed funding of 110,000 euros is offered to new professors (provided the conditions determined by KU Leuven are met). 

Call for Research Professors (BOFZAP)
Application and selection procedure

Interested?

Before you begin the application, read the full description of the procedure and important information regarding attachments and templates under ‘Call for Research Professors (BOFZAP)’ and ‘Application and selection procedure’ under ‘More information’.

Further information regarding the content of the position can be obtained from the academic contact person  Prof. Dr. Katrien Lagrou, email: katrien.lagrou@kuleuven.be, tel. +32 16 37 52 00 or Prof. Dr. Dominique Schols, email: dominique.schols@kuleuven.be, tel. +32 16 32 19 98.

Further information regarding the guidelines, regulations, and application dossier can be obtained from Ms. Kristin Vermeylen (kristin.vermeylen@kuleuven.be) or Ms. Martine van Nierop (martine.vannierop@kuleuven.be, tel. +32 16 32 76 98).

You can apply for this vacancy until 01/09/2026 via our online application system.