Postdoctoral researcher in quantitative immunopeptidomics

Introduction

UNIL is a leading international teaching and research institution, with over 5,000 employees and 17,000 students split between its Dorigny campus, CHUV and Epalinges. As an employer, UNIL encourages excellence, individual recognition and responsibility.

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How are newly synthesized proteins sampled by the HLA class I antigen presentation pathway, and what determines their contribution to the immunopeptidome?Join us in addressing these fundamental questions at the interface of cancer biology, immunology, proteomics, and computational biology.

The Immunopeptidomics Laboratory, led byProf. Michal Bassani-Sternbergat the Department of Fundamental Oncology (DOF), University of Lausanne (UNIL), is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher for afully funded four-year project.

Our laboratory develops innovative mass spectrometry-based technologies to investigate antigen presentation and accelerate the discovery of novel targets for cancer immunotherapy. We offer an interdisciplinary, collaborative, and international research environment with access to state-of-the-art technologies and close interactions with leading experts in proteomics, immunology, and cancer biology.

Expected start date: October 1, 2026 or to be agreed upon

Contract:Initial one-year fixed-term contract, renewable annually for a maximum total duration of four years.

Employment rate:100%

Location:Agora Cancer Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland

The successful candidate will investigate fundamental questions in antigen presentation biology, including how newly synthesized microproteins translated from non-coding genomic regions are sampled by the HLA class I pathway and the contribution of rapidly degraded canonical proteins and non-canonical microproteins to the immunopeptidome. By combining ribosome profiling, innovative quantitative high-throughput immunopeptidomics, advanced quantitative proteomics, and next-generation mass spectrometry, this project aims to advance our understanding of immune surveillance and improve antigen discovery for the development of next-generation cancer immunotherapies.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and creative scientist with:

• A PhD in proteomics, biochemistry, molecular cancer biology, immunology, or a related discipline.
• Hands-on expertise in mammalian cell culture and molecular biology techniques.
• Experience in experimental and computational mass spectrometry-based proteomics and/or immunopeptidomics.
• Proficiency in quantitative proteomics data analysis using tools such as DIA-NN, Frag Pipe, Spectronaut, and programming experience in R and/or Python.
• Experience with pulse-chase SILAC experiments is an asset.
• Interest in multi-omics data integration and computational analysis of large-scale biological datasets.
• Excellent communication skills, scientific curiosity, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment.

We offer a stimulating interdisciplinary research environment within a multicultural, collaborative, and dynamic team specializing in translational cancer immunology and immunotherapy. The position provides an outstanding opportunity to:

• Work on a scientifically ambitious project addressing fundamental questions in antigen presentation biology.
• Develop expertise in cutting-edge quantitative proteomics, immunopeptidomics, ribosome profiling, and multi-omics data integration.
• Gain hands-on experience with innovative computational tools for large-scale proteomics and multi-omics data analysis.
• Access state-of-the-art instrumentation, including next-generation mass spectrometry platforms and automated sample preparation systems.
• Collaborate with internationally recognized researchers in proteomics, immunology, cancer biology, and computational biology.
• Publish in leading international journals and present your research at major international conferences.
• Benefit from scientific mentoring and opportunities to develop scientific independence and advance your career.
• Work in the vibrant international research environment of…