Research Technician Immune Monitoring Unit at Immunotherapy Center

Within the department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology (MCBI) and in collaboration with the Laboratory section of the Medical Oncology (LabMO) department of the Amsterdam UMC (Location VUmc), three positions are vacant for a research technician of the newly formed Immune Monitoring unit at the ImmunoTherapy Center Amsterdam (Dr Juan Garcia Vallejo and Prof Tanja de Gruijl).

One candidate will specifically work on ongoing trials in a collaboration with the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Center for Gynecological Oncology Amsterdam, Dr Stijn Mom) on local immunotherapy of cervical and vulvar cancer.

The selected candidates will:

• Be contact persons for the collection of patient materials in coordination with research nurses and or clinicians in ongoing and upcoming clinical trials.
• Collect, process, and store patient materials prior to their analysis using the immune monitoring pipeline of the immunotherapy center.
• Develop and implement analytical methods for the quantification and characterization of immune responses based on state-of-the-art flow cytometry and imaging methods.
• Keep up to date with recent developments in the field of immune monitoring, flow cytometry, and microscopy by attending relevant national symposia.
• Maintain contacts with suppliers and your network and conduct literature research.

The departments of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology and Medical Oncology at the VUmc carry out research at an internationally competitive level and offer a stimulating work environment. The research of the departments concentrate on immunological questions about immune regulation and inflammation and cross-talk with cells and signaling pathways within the tumor macro- and microenvironment. The research focuses on both, fundamental questions aimed at unraveling molecular and cellular mechanisms and translational research focusing on application of fundamental knowledge to medical questions.

The departments share high-end microscopy and cytometry equipment via MCCF, the Microscopy and Cytometry Core Facility. The facility is now setting up a satellite facility at the newly built RDC building, where a community of oncology and neuroscience researchers will be sharing a confocal live cell microscope, a conventional (imaging) flow cytometer, and a cell sorter. The central location of MCCF at the O2 lab building harbors cutting-edge microscopes including (super resolution STED and FLIM) live cell confocals, light sheet, live cell widefield, 2-photon, and several multiplexed solutions from low density (4 color slide scanner), to mid-range (Vectra-Polaris), to high content (Hyperion), and a single cell spatial transcriptomics platform. In addition, several software packages and home-brewed solutions are available for data analysis of acquired images. As for flow cytometry, the facility is equipped with mass cytometry, spectral flow cytometry analyzers and sorters, and several conventional flow cytometry analyzers and sorters.

Amsterdam UMC Research BV supports non-profit scientific research. In doing so, we provide researchers with everything they need to excel. Our principal investigators (PIs) and project leaders offer support in the field of project management, finance and human resources. In medical scientific research projects, legal support is also provided.

Watch the video to find out more.