Postdoctoral Research Position in Cancer Immunology and Immune Engineering

Laboratory of Dr. Jaehyuk Choi Co‑founder, Moonlight Bio Director, Center for Cellular Therapies and Cancer Immunology Harold

C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center Vice Chair of Innovation and Translation Department of Dermatology University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, Texas

The Choi Laboratory is seeking a highly motivated and collaborative postdoctoral researcher to help develop the next generation of cancer immunotherapies. Our research integrates cancer immunology, T-cell and protein engineering, and translational science to uncover mechanisms of immune regulation and convert those discoveries into rationally designed therapies.

The successful candidate will join the Center for Cellular Therapies and Cancer Immunology and work alongside basic scientists, translational researchers, and clinicians with expertise in immunology, cancer biology, molecular engineering, and therapeutic development. Projects are designed to progress from mechanistic discovery through preclinical development, providing exposure to programs moving toward first-in-human studies. This position is particularly well suited for researchers seeking rigorous scientific training and preparation for careers in academia, biotechnology, or translational medicine.

Postdoctoral researchers receive a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, individualized mentoring, and access to institutional career-development resources. Located in Dallas, UT Southwestern combines the resources and scientific community of a major academic medical center with the professional and cultural opportunities of one of the country’s largest and most diverse metropolitan areas.

• T-cell engineering
• Cancer immunology and immunotherapy
• Protein and cell engineering for next-generation immunotherapies

UT Southwestern Medical Center is an internationally recognized academic medical center where scientists and clinicians work together to translate discovery into better treatments. Through the Choi Laboratory’s affiliations with the Center for Cellular Therapies and Cancer Immunology and the Harold

C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, postdoctoral researchers have access to multidisciplinary expertise, advanced shared core facilities, extensive institutional research support, and opportunities to connect laboratory discoveries with unmet clinical needs.

The Harold

C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center is an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center recognized for excellence across basic, clinical, prevention, and population-based cancer research. This highly collaborative environment allows postdoctoral researchers to engage with scientists and clinicians across traditional disciplinary boundaries while developing the technical, scientific, and professional skills needed for their next career stage.

Candidates are encouraged to review the lab’s recent publications to learn more about our scientific approach and ongoing areas of research.

• 2025 Journal of Clinical Investigation:
  Addiction of primary cutaneous γδ T cell lymphomas to JAK/STAT signaling
• 2025 Journal of Clinical Investigation:
  Cellular profiling identifies targetable T cell phenotypes in lymphocytic variant hypereosinophilic syndrome
• 2024 Nature:
  Naturally occurring T cell mutations enhance engineered T cell therapies
• 2024 Nature:
  Interferon subverts an AHR-JUN axis to promote CXCL
  13+ T cells in lupus
• 2024 Cancer Discovery:
  Preexisting Skin-Resident CD8 and γδ T-cell Circuits Mediate Immune Response in Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Predict Immunotherapy Efficacy
• 2023 Nature: PD-1 instructs a tumor-suppressive…