Postdoc Neurosurgery

Brain tumors, particularly glioblastoma, are among the most aggressive cancers, with no curative treatments currently available. Recent clinical trials investigating immunotherapy with oncolytic viruses (OVs) have shown promising results, although only a subset of patients achieve durable responses.

As a postdoc, you will contribute to identifying tumor-, microenvironment-, and host-related factors that influence response to OV therapy. To achieve this, you will develop and compare ex vivo model systems derived directly from patient tumor tissue and blood. These models will be evaluated in parallel with an upcoming clinical trial at our department testing an oncolytic adenovirus, with the aim of assessing their predictive value. In addition, you will be involved in trial-associated studies that map immune responses to OV treatment in patients.

Your profile:

• PhD in cell biology, oncology, immunology, or a related discipline.
• We particularly welcome candidates with at least 1 year of postdoc experience.
• Solid expertise in in vitro/ex vivo assays, immunological analyses, and translational research.
• Strong motivation to bridge fundamental research and clinical application.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Passion for advancing therapeutic strategies against glioblastoma.

• You will receive a temporary position for 2-3 years.
• The gross monthly salary amounts a minimum of € 3.598,- and a maximum of € 5.669,- (scale 10).
• Excellent fringe benefits, such as a 13th month that is already paid out in November and a individual travel expense package.
• An International Office which aids you in preparing for you arrival and stay.
• Pension insurance with ABP. We take care of approximately 2/3 of the monthly contribution.
• Special benefits, such as an incompany physiotherapist and bicycle repairer. And there is also a gym where you can work on your fitness after work.

This position is part of the Horizon GLIOMATCH consortium.

Erasmus MC is the largest university medical center in the Netherlands and a leading institution for healthcare, research, and education. The Department of Neurosurgery combines highly specialized clinical care with groundbreaking research in neuro-oncology, neurovascular disorders, and functional neurosurgery. Within the field of neuro-oncological research, the focus includes developing and studying innovative therapies for gliomas, such as immunotherapy using oncolytic viruses.

You will be working in a multidisciplinary research team within the Department of Neurosurgery, where clinical and translational researchers collaborate closely with neurosurgeons, pathologists, immunologists, and bioinformaticians. Our team integrates clinical expertise with translational research and maintains one of the largest glioma biobanks in Europe, advanced ex vivo and in vitro models, and high-throughput screening platforms such as GLIOscreen®.

The research takes place in a well-equipped laboratory environment (ML-1/ML-2), supported by live cell imaging, 3D confocal microscopy, and automation technology.