Postdoc Position in Glioblastoma Neurobiology and Neuron-Tumor Connectivity

Organisation/Company ETH Zürich Research Field Biological sciences » Other Chemistry » Other Engineering » Biomedical engineering Engineering » Other Neurosciences » Other Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Final date to receive applications 23 Apr 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

Postdoc Position in Glioblastoma Neurobiology and Neuron-Tumor Connectivity

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher for an exciting collaboration between the Bio Engineering Laboratory (Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel) and the University Hospital Heidelberg / German Cancer Research Center (Heidelberg, Germany).

Project background

Glioblastoma (GB) is the most aggressive primary brain cancer in adults. Recent breakthroughs in cancer neuroscience have revealed that tumor cells integrate into neuronal circuits, forming functional synaptic connections that drive proliferation, invasion, and therapy resistance. This discovery opens new therapeutic avenues: pharmacological strategies targeting neuron-tumor crosstalk may slow disease progression where conventional treatments fail.

This project combines cutting-edge technologies to dissect these interactions: high-density microelectrode arrays (HD-MEAs) for large-scale electrophysiology, spatial transcriptomic methods, and human iPSC-derived neuronal models. Building on our preliminary work using retrograde tracing and live-cell imaging to map GB-neuron connectivity, we aim to identify molecular targets for therapeutic intervention.

As a postdoc in this project, you will:

• Establish and characterize human neuron-tumor co-cultures using iPSC-derived neurons and patient-derived GB models on HD-MEAs
• Perform longitudinal electrophysiological recordings to track how tumor invasion alters neuronal network activity at single-cell and population levels
• Apply spatial transcriptomic techniques to map gene expression changes in tumor-connected versus unconnected neurons
• Integrate functional and transcriptomic datasets to identify molecular mechanisms underlying GB-neuron interactions
• Contribute to drug screening efforts targeting neuron-tumor connectivity

Profile

• PhD in neuroscience, biology, bioengineering, or a related field
• Strong background in cell culture, including primary neurons or iPSC-derived cells
• Experience with electrophysiology (e.g., patch-clamp or MEA recordings)
• Track record of scientific productivity (publications in peer-reviewed journals)
• Excellent communication skills and fluency in English

Advantageous:

• Experience with cancer models or glioblastoma research
• Familiarity with transcriptomic methods (RNA-seq, FISH, spatial transcriptomics)
• Programming skills for data analysis (Python, R, or MATLAB)

We offer

• Funding:
  Full position (100%) for up to 3 years
• Environment: A collaborative, international team at ETH Zurich's Basel campus with access to state-of-the-art HD-MEA technology and microscopy facilities
• Collaboration:
  
  Close partnership with a leading cancer neuroscience group in Heidelberg
• Your job with impact:
  Become part of ETH Zurich, which not only supports your professional development, but also actively contributes to positive change in society

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We look forward to receiving your online application by February 28th 2026.

A complete application package includes

• A short and specific motivation statement for…