We recently found that CIN leads to an inflammatory response in cancer cells and that these cells rely on this response for survival (Hong et al, Nature. 2022 Jul;607(7918):366-373). We also found that chronic CIN promotes immune evasion (Schubert et al, bioRxiv 2021.12.03.471107), suggesting that reactivation of this immune response could be an effective therapy to treat genomic instable cancer. In this project, you will help delineate the molecular mechanisms underlying the CIN-induced inflammatory response, and how this response interacts with the immune system in (models for) breast cancer.

You will analyze large datasets (singe cell genomics, (single cell) transcriptomics, (single cell) epigenetics) as well as data from public databases to delineate how CIN promotes an inflammatory response, what the key players are and how CIN+ cancers circumvent this in vivo. You will also help decide which multi-omics measurements are required for the next steps in the project and be involved with supervision of PhD students and technicians. You will work in an international team that currently consists of 8 PhD students, 4 postdocs and 5 technicians.

We are seeking an ambitious postdoctoral candidate with a PhD in bioinformatics or with extensive experience in bioinformatics. You should have a strong affinity for and ideally ample experience with the analysis of datasets to assess genomic integrity and tumor immunology. High commitment, high motivation, fluency in spoken and written English and a strong team spirit are required.

The UMCG has a preventive Hepatitis B policy. The UMCG can provide you with the vaccination, should it be required for your position. In case of specific professions a ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’ is required.

The position is initially for one year but can be extended to three years if needed. However, in parallel, we will support you to acquire independent postdoctoral funding to strengthen your CV. The starting salary is depending on experience and is scaled in 10 (max gross salary € 5.504 based on a full-time position. In addition, the UMCG will offer you 8% holiday pay, and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centres (CAO-UMC). It concerns a full time position (36 hours a week). After one year, the performance of the candidate will be evaluated to decide wheather there is sufficient progress to extend for a second period of two years. Additional extensions will be discussed in due time.

ERIBA

The European Research Institute for the Biology of Aging (ERIBA) is a research institute at the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG), in Groningen, the Netherlands. The mission of ERIBA is to better understand the molecular mechanisms that underlie age-related decline and age-related diseases. We aim to develop novel strategies to prevent or combat age-related diseases and to provide evidence-based recommendations for healthy ageing. Our research teams work with different model systems and (beyond-) state-of-the-art technology platforms and share their knowledge and expertise to accelerate discoveries. ERIBA is part of the central UMCG campus in the vibrant university city Groningen, in the north of the Netherlands and offers a highly international environment with more than half of the employees being non-Dutch.

The lab of Floris Foijer at ERIBA studies chromosomal instability (CIN) in cancer and ageing. As CIN is a feature that discriminates cancer cells from non-cancer cells, it provides an attractive target for therapy. We develop technology to quantify CIN, develop models to understand how CIN promotes cancer, and exploit these models and techniques to design new intervention strategies to selectively treat CIN+ cancers. We have strong local and (inter)national collaborations with both basic science and clinical groups, expediting an efficient bed, bench to bed cycle of our research findings.We are currently looking for a postdoc bioinformatician to study how CIN leads to inflammation, immune recognition, and eventually immune evasion of chromosomal unstable cells.