PhD Position - TCR Discovery and Cellular Immunotherapy

Organisation/Company University of Basel Research Field Biological sciences » Other Medical sciences » Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Final date to receive applications 3 Sep 2026 - 21:59 (UTC) Country Switzerland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

As a joint venture of the University of Basel and the University Hospitals Basel, the Department of Biomedicine (DBM) brings together basic and clinical scientists to advance the understanding of health and disease.

We are home to more than 67 research groups and over 800 employees across six locations in the heart of Basel. Our collaborative and international environment fosters innovation, excellence, and impactful research.

The Infection Biology, led by Prof. Nina Khanna Gremmelmaier, is looking for a fully funded PHD position.

Join our community and help shape the future of biomedicine.

The Infection Biology Laboratory studies immune responses to infectious diseases and virus-associated malignancies with the goal of developing next-generation cellular immunotherapies. We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to join an interdisciplinary research project investigating T-cell immunity in Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-associated cancers.

Despite the success of EBV-specific T-cell therapies in selected malignancies, therapeutic efficacy remains limited in tumors expressing only a restricted repertoire of viral antigens. This project aims to identify novel tumor-reactive T-cell receptors (TCRs) that can be translated into next-generation adoptive T-cell therapies.

The successful candidate will develop patient-derived tumor models and combine them with cutting-edge technologies including CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering, immunopeptidomics, single-cell multiomics, and functional immunology. The project is embedded in a translational research program that develops virus-specific T-cell therapies with clinical application through close collaboration with clinicians, GMP manufacturing facilities, and clinical trial units. It therefore offers a unique opportunity to gain expertise across the entire translational pipeline – from mechanistic discovery to cellular therapy development and clinical implementation.

As part of this interdisciplinary project, you will:

• Establish patient-derived in vitro tumor models from EBV-positive malignancies.
• Isolate and characterize tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) from patient samples.
• Perform single-cell profiling of immune cell transcriptomes and TCR repertoires.
• Reconstruct and functionally validate candidate TCRs to determine antigen specificity, HLA restriction, and anti-tumor activity.
• Perform advanced immunological assays including multicolor flow cytometry, T-cell expansion, cytokine secretion, proliferation, and cytotoxicity assays.
• Integrate functional, genomic, and transcriptomic datasets in collaboration with computational scientists.
• Present research findings at laboratory meetings and international conferences.
• Contribute to high-impact publications and collaborative research projects.

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in Immunology, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biotechnology, Biomedical Sciences, or a related discipline.
• Strong interest in cancer and infection immunology and translational research.
• Hands-on laboratory experience in cell culture, molecular biology, and immune assays.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong analytical thinking and willingness to learn new experimental and computational techniques.
• Good written and spoken English.
• Multiparameter flow cytometry, immune phenotyping
• Single-cell sequencing technologies or immunopeptidomics
• Transcriptomic or genomic data analysis (R/Python)
• A fully funded PhD position within an ambitious and collaborative research environment.
• Access to state-of-the-art research infrastructure.
• Training in cutting-edge technologies, including genome engineering, single-cell multiomics, TCR discovery, and advanced immune profiling.
• Close supervision by experts in immunology, genome engineering, and translational cancer research.
• Opportunities to present research internationally and publish in high-impact journals.
• A stimulating multidisciplinary environment with strong clinical and translational collaborations.

The position is available immediately or by agreement (preferred starting date: November 2026) and will remain open until filled.