As a Postdoctoral fellow you will become part of the NIH/NCI sponsored Cancer MetNet Center on 'Mechanical determinants of organ-selective metastatic colonization, dormancy, and outgrowth' focussed on the mechanobiology and targeting of early steps of cancer metastasis.

Our programme aims to transform cell biology by developing and applying advanced microscopy and real-time molecular manipulation techniques to study the first hours and days during organ colonization and identify molecular interference points to overcome metastatic ability. The consortium forms a unique and highly interdisciplinary team that combines intravital microscopy with organ on a chip technology, in vivo cell biology, mathematical modelling as well as chemical and genetic cell manipulation to study cancer metastasis. Read more about the overall MetNet Center description.

As a Postdoctoral fellow in Friedl lab at Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, you will study the effect of drugs and molecular interventions in epithelial and mesenchymal tumor models in vivo. You will apply in vivo microscopy, multi-spectral 3D tissue mapping, single-cell molecular profiling and inducible tools to record and manipulate cytoskeletal pathways and newly identified pathways in order to interfere with tumor cell survival and metastatic progression. The use of these tools will also be expanded to study the effects on tumor cell resistance, their response to immune cell attack, in collaboration with other team members working on the MetNet project. Click here for the overall framework for this Postdoctoral fellow position.

This position is part of the NIH-funded U54 MetNet consortium. MetNet is an interdisciplinary programme combining cell and molecular biology, as well as mouse models to study the process cell behaviour in development and cancer, and targeted drug delivery. Participating institutes are based throughout the USA, with only one site on intravital microscopy located in the Netherlands.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Design and perform scientific research in the area of cell biology, microscopy in mouse models of cancer metastasis and molecular pharmacology.
• Generate and analyse the data in order to contribute to scientific publications and present findings at scientific meetings.
• Work in a team with other students of the MetNet consortium and scientists to discuss, plan and perform research in a stimulating environment.
• Work in an international research group with fellows several countries, including the USA.
• Complete the project with a scientific dissertation.

We are looking for a highly motivated and creative candidate to join us in this unique project. We would like you to bring:

• A PhD degree in cancer research, immunology or a related field.
• A background in preclinical cancer models (in mice), cell biology, molecular biology and great interest in advanced microscopy.
• Analytical and problem solving skills.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Article 9 Certificate for animal experiments, or equivalent.

If you feel that this role is the perfect match, but you do not yet meet all the qualifications, we also welcome you to apply.

Fixed-term contract: 3 years.

At Radboud university medical center, you build on your future. We are committed to providing the best care, education, and research. And we are true to our word, because we help you develop and seize opportunities and give you the room to grow. As an employer, we believe that employees should feel vital and happy at work in all stages of life. We are also committed to creating a healthy and safe working environment. Our employment conditions contribute to that. What we offer:

• A gross monthly salary in scale 10 between €3,359 and €5,292 (for a full-time appointment). You will also receive an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a 47% to 72% bonus for working unsocial hours.
• Plenty of opportunities for personal development. You can take a variety of courses in our online learning environment. You can also share knowledge with colleagues through digital learning spaces – perfect for getting inspired and inspiring others.
• Your well-being and vitality are our priorities. For instance, you can enjoy a 40% discount on a sports subscription at the Radboud Sports Center along with access to the Healthy Professionals program designed to assist you in managing your energy. If you are going through a life-changing event, our Company Support Team and a personal coach are there to help you.
• Support in achieving a good work-life balance at every stage of your life. This includes advice and training courses (from ‘Millennial Dilemmas’ to ‘Your Career After 57’), activities at our own mindfulness center, and informal caregiving consultations if you have questions about juggling work and caregiving responsibilities at home.
• 168 holiday hours per year (23 days) based on a 36-hour working week.
• 26 weeks of parental leave, nine of which are paid.
• You build up a pension by ABP Pension Fund, and Radboudumc pays 70% of the pension premium.
• Discounts on health insurance and ten other types of insurance, from home insurance to legal assistance.
• An allowance for your travel expenses or a working-from-home allowance of €2 per day.

Radboudumc

You will be embedded in the new interdisciplinary Department of Medical BioSciences, which includes 180 scientists in the fields of Cell Biology, Tumor Immunology, Biochemistry, Physiology, and Bioinformatics. The department develops the teaching of medical, biomedical and natural science students, and offers MSc programmes and PhD programs through the Graduate School. The department maintains a high-profile international research programme, and is strongly interdisciplinary and collaborative across research disciplines.

The Friedl team together with the Research Technology Centers Microscopical Imaging (MIC) and the Preclinical Animal Imaging Centre (PRIME) have a long-standing experience in the field of advanced microscopy of cancer cell invasion and metastasis in 3D tissue culture and in live mice. They focus on multi-scale analysis of cell-matrix interactions during single-cell and collective cell migration, proteolytic tissue remodeling during invasion and physical and molecular mechanisms tissue guidance of cell invasion, and how the immune system responds to metastatic tumor cells.

Our work was published in high-profile journals (Nat Cell Biol, Nat BioMed Engineering, Nat Rev Cancer, Nat Rev Materials, J Exp Med, Nat Commun). Particularly defined in vivo models for intravital multiphoton microscopy of metastasis and the immune response against early metastases which will be investigated in this project.

The group of Peter Friedl has long-lasting expertise in the training of PhD, MD and MSc students participating as supervisors and tutors in departmental and inter-departmental courses including inter-university programs.

Radboudumc
Welcome to Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc), where scientific breakthroughs are born through the curiosity and passion of our collaborating researchers in a vibrant environment. We believe trust and excitement are crucial elements to achieving our goals, and we approach our research as teams and with the utmost rigor to make a significant impact on health and healthcare. Our researchers are driven by their fascination with the biological, psychological, and sociological mechanisms underlying health and healthcare. They collaborate with partners from all over the world to improve health outcomes for all. Radboudumc unites patient care, research, education, and corporate learning, which allows us to approach our mission to shape the health and healthcare of the future in an innovative and person-centered way.

Our ambition is to lead the way in the pursuit of prevention, sustainability, meaningful care. We believe that through our research, we can significantly improve the health and well-being of society. Join us on our mission to make a difference in healthcare. Become a part of our community of gifted researchers, professionals or patient partners who are dedicated to making a real impact on population health and healthcare.