PhD student Medical Oncology - implementation of immunotherapy as treatment modality for patients with solid tumors.

Are you looking for a challenging PhD position and do you have an interest in cancer immunotherapy? Then please read on.

As a PhD student you will work in the Cancer Immunology and Therapy research group headed by Professor Sjoerd van der Burg. The aim of our program is to implement immunotherapy as treatment modality for patients with solid tumors and is focused on the exploration of key factors in host-tumor interactions that determine successes and failure in immune control of cancer. You will be working on a research project and your tasks will include the design and planning of experiments, collection and analysis of data, writing research manuscripts and presenting the data on national and international conferences.

The project
The project is part of a novel research program investigating oncolytic virus therapy in the context of cancer immunotherapy. The goal of the current project is to develop effective combinations of virus therapy with other immunotherapeutic strategies in pre-clinical models for pancreatic cancer. Additionally, the impact of TGF-β signalling on the efficacy of oncolytic virus therapy and immunotherapy will be addressed. The project is interdisciplinary and involves collaboration between different departments in the LUMC and with scientists across different universities within the Dutch Oncolytic Viro-Immunotherapy Consortium.
The research involves fundamental mechanistic studies in animal models as well as in vitro analysis with state-of-the-art immunological and molecular biological techniques.

Working at the LUMC
The LUMC is a center for medical innovation that aims to improve patient care through leading international research. So as to also provide our patients with a safe and friendly environment, we need doctors, medical care specialists, support staff and academic researchers. The Cancer Immunology and Therapy research group is a young and successful team of about 25 scientists within the Department of Medical Oncology. We perform several types of fundamental, translational and clinical studies. A major focus of our group concerns the reinforcement of tumor-specific T cells using vaccines, immune modulatory antibodies and adoptive T cell transfer and is geared towards the exploration of tumor-specific antigens and studies of T cell function in an immune suppressive microenvironment. Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) is a modern knowledge center with over 8,000 staff members who are passionate about combating disease and improving patient care through scientific research. Our institute offers a large number of core facilities and a broad immunological research environment with national and international collaborations.

Your profile

We are searching for an enthusiastic colleague who holds an MSc degree in Biomedical Sciences or equivalent. You are highly motivated and have a proven interest in immunology and oncology. You should be able to work independently but also perform well in a team. Our ideal candidate likes to take initiative and is capable of interacting with different departments. A certificate to work with animal models is required, experience is preferred.

We offer
You will be employed on the basis of 36 hours per week. Appointment is for four years. Your salary will start with € 2,279 gross per month in the first year, amounting to a maximum of € 2,919 gross per month in the fourth year based on a fulltime position (scale for PhD students in the Collective Labour Agreement for University Hospitals).
The terms of employment offered by the LUMC are excellent. For example, you will receive 8% holiday pay, a year-end bonus, and a pension arrangement with the National Civil Pension Fund. Also, as an employee of one of the University Hospitals in the Netherlands, you can benefit from our collective health insurance policy.

Moreover, the LUMC offers excellent facilities in terms of education, child-care centers, and career advice. In addition, you may enjoy various leave arrangements and other extras. You can read more about these facilities elsewhere on this site.

More information
If you have any questions, or if you want more information about this position, please contact Dr. Nadine Pronk - van Montfoort, project leader, [Email Address Removed]; telephone +31 (0)71 526 47 26 or Prof. Sjoerd van der Burg, Head of the Cancer Immunology and Therapy research group, [Email Address Removed]; telephone +31 (0)71 526 11 80.