Postdoctoral Position (100%) in Leukemia Immunology and Metabolism

pAs a joint venture of the University of Basel and the University Hospitals Basel, the Department of Biomedicine (DBM) brings together basic and clinical scientists to advance the understanding of health and disease. /p pWe are home to more than 67 research groups and over 800 employees across six locations in the heart of Basel. Our collaborative and international environment fosters innovation, excellence, and impactful research. /p pThe Blood Cancer Biology and Immunotherapy group, led by Prof. Petya Apostolova ( is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher (100%) to investigate how cellular metabolism shapes leukemia persistence, immune evasion, and anti-leukemia immunity. This position is funded within our recent European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant project LIFE - Targeting bioactive lipids to overcome leukemia immune evasion and improve allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation outcomes. /p pStart date: 1. February 2027 or upon agreement /p pDuration: 1 year, with possibility of extension and long-term perspective /p pJoin our community and help shape the future of biomedicine. /p h3Your position /h3 pResearch environment /p pThe Apostolova Lab is based at the Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, in a highly interactive environment spanning cancer biology, immunology, genomics, metabolism, and translational medicine. Our group combines mechanistic leukemia models with metabolism, immunology, and multi-omics to understand how leukemia cells adapt to therapeutic pressure and interact with the immune system. /p pThe successful candidate will have access to state-of-the-art infrastructure for flow cytometry, animal experimentation, advanced microscopy, single-cell and spatial technologies, mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and lipidomics, and computational biology, together with extensive opportunities for local and international collaboration. Mentorship and respect for human values, including diversity, equity, and inclusiveness, are driving forces of our group. /p pThe successful candidate will lead an ambitious interdisciplinary project at the interface of leukemia biology, tumor immunology, and cellular metabolism. Our ongoing work shows that leukemia metabolism profoundly influences the tumor-immune crosstalk, shaping both recognition of leukemia cells by the immune system and immune cell phenotypes. The project will investigate how specific metabolic programs enable leukemia cells to adapt to therapeutic and immune pressure, alter leukemia-immune interactions, and create targetable vulnerabilities. /p pResearch directions may include: /p ulliMetabolic adaptation of leukemia under therapeutic pressure /liliEffects of leukemia-derived metabolites on immune-cell function and immune recognition /liliIdentification and functional validation of metabolic mechanisms and therapeutic targets /li /ul pYour responsibilities will include: /p ulliDesigning, performing, and interpreting mechanistic experiments, including in vivo animal studies /liliEstablishing and adapting experimental approaches as required /liliAnalyzing and presenting scientific data /li liDeveloping collaborative projects /li liMentoring PhD and MSc students /li liContributing to manuscripts, scientific meetings, and grant applications /li /ul pExperimental approaches in our group include in vivo leukemia and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation models, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolomics and lipidomics, functional genomics and CRISPR screens, spectral flow cytometry, cell sorting, bulk, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and functional immune and metabolic assays. /p h3Your profile /h3 pWe are looking for an experimental scientist with strong intellectual curiosity, knowledge and practical expertise in tumor immnology, and an interest in mechanistic cancer research. /p pApplicants should have: /p ulliA PhD (or equivalent degree) in cancer biology, immunology, molecular biology, hematology, or a related discipline /liliA strong conceptual and experimental background in tumor biology and/or immunology /li liSubstantial hands-on experience with in vivo mouse tumor models, ideally in hematological cancers, and willingness to perform animal experiments /li liExtensive experience with (spectral) flow cytometry and molecular biology /li liA strong experimental track record, ideally including a high-quality first-author publication /li liThe ability to independently design, execute, and interpret mechanistic experiments /li liExcellent communication skills (in English) and the ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team /li /ul pExperience in leukemia research, tumor immunology, metabolism, CRISPR screening, or histology is an advantage but not required. /p pWe are particularly interested in candidates who want to take intellectual ownership of an ambitious project, pursue mechanistic questions, and develop their own scientific profile at the interface of tumor immunology and metabolism. /p h3We offer you /h3 ulliThe possibility to perform cutting-edge research in leukemia immunology and metabolism /li liA stimulating, interdisciplinary research environment with state-of-the-art technologies /li liA dynamic and international team with a strong culture of collaboration and mutual support /li liClose interaction with neighboring labs in hematology, cancer immunology, oncology, and metabolism /li liStrong scientific mentorship and career-development support /li liIntellectual freedom to develop and pursue scientific ideas /li liAn excellent academic environment at the University of Basel /li /ul pApplications from candidates with strong backgrounds in experimental hematology, tumor immunology, or cancer metabolism are particularly encouraged. /p #J-18808-Ljbffr