Postdoc Tumor Immunology

We offer a postdoc position to develop novel strategies to treat cancer. You will use preclinical 2D-/3D tumor models and in vivo xenograft models to investigate novel immune checkpoint targeting strategies for the treatment of cancer.

Dit ga je doen

The project focuses on the development and preclinical testing of novel immune interventions against cancer using immune cells and interfering with their regulatory mechanisms. The project is part of an international collaboration funded by the EU. In addition to UMC Utrecht, research labs from Oxford, Amsterdam, Bonn, and Stockholm participate in this consortium. Regular interactions and online and onsite consortium meetings ensure a thriving international collaborative research network.

Your role will be to investigate novel immune checkpoint targeting strategies using genetically engineered immune cells in various preclinical models such as 2D and 3D tumor models, as well as conducting in vivo experiments using xenograft-based immunotherapy mouse models established in the department. In addition to assessing effectiveness, you will investigate the mechanism of action of these novel strategies using, for example, gene editing technologies.

Hier ga je werken

The position is embedded within the UMC Utrecht at the Center for Translational Immunology (CTI). The CTI hosts all basic, translational, and clinical immunological research in the UMC Utrecht, providing an unprecedented opportunity to effectively translate basic knowledge on the pathways that underlie inflammation and cancer into clinical practice. As an employee of the CTI, you will be exposed to and connected with fundamental and clinical immunologists, providing an excellent training environment. The work will be carried out as a collaboration between the Inhibitory Receptor Lab (Prof. Linde Meyaard, expert on immune checkpoint mechanisms) and the Tumor Immunology Lab (Dr. Zsolt Sebestyen, specialized in preclinical tumor models for cellular immunotherapy). A unique research pipeline from fundamental to translational and clinical research has been established.

Dit neem je mee

You are a highly motivated tumor immunologist with a completed PhD.

• Experience with animal work (Article 9 certificate) is required.
• You can communicate fluently verbally and in writing in English.
• Experience with isolating, culturing, and studying primary human immune cells and translating this knowledge into pre-clinically applicable protocols is a plus.
• Experience with gene editing technologies is a plus.
• You can start in Q1-2026.