Postdoc position - Unraveling Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Toxicity and Efficacy

Join UMC Utrecht as a postdoctoral researcher and investigate why immune checkpoint inhibitors work for some patients but not others. Use the unique UNICIT biobank to advance translational cancer immunotherapy research.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been the largest breakthrough in oncology in the last decade. However, they are effective for only a minority of patients and can cause severe immune‑mediated toxicities. Within the UNICIT biobank, we have collected sequential blood, feces, and tissue biopsy samples from more than 600 patients treated with ICIs. This unique resource allows you to investigate the mechanisms behind ICI toxicity and treatment resistance and identify factors that could improve patient outcomes.

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will join the research group of Prof. Karijn Suijkerbuijk at the Department of Medical Oncology. The group focuses on clinical and translational research in melanoma and cancer immunotherapy, with a strong emphasis on immune checkpoint inhibitors.

You will conduct a research project on ICI toxicity and resistance under the supervision of Prof. Karijn Suijkerbuijk. Alongside your own research, you will contribute to collaborative projects, supervise junior researchers and PhD candidates, and help develop new research proposals to secure future funding.

• Plan, perform, and document experiments.
• Analyze and interpret molecular and clinical data.
• Present your findings in oral and written presentations.
• Collaborate closely with researchers within and outside the department.
• Supervise junior researchers and/or PhD candidates working on related projects.
• Write grant proposals.

The UMC Utrecht Cancer Center is dedicated to improving outcomes for patients with cancer through innovative research and close collaboration between basic, translational, and clinical scientists.

UMC Utrecht is one of the top melanoma reference centers in the Netherlands and plays a prominent role in research on immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) toxicity and treatment response prediction. You will work in a highly collaborative environment with strong connections to the Center for Translational Immunology, led by van Wijk, and the AI Lab for Molecular Medicine, led by de Ridder.

In addition, the department maintains extensive national and international collaborations with leading research institutes studying ICI resistance and toxicity.

• You hold a PhD degree in tumor immunology, molecular biology, medicine or related field.
• You have experience or a strong interest in tumor immunology and translational/clinically-oriented oncology research.
• You have experience analyzing molecular data.
• You work independently while collaborating effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
• You have a good proficiency of spoken and written English.

Interested? Please submit your motivation letter and a detailed curriculum vitae, including the names and contact details of two references.