PhD candidate 'Cancer associated fibroblasts as key players in the tumor microenvironment affecting radio- and immunotherapy response'

Dr. Ansems leads a research group that is focused on discovering and understanding molecular and cellular interactions in the tumor microenvironment and translation of these findings into cancer treatment. In many solid cancers, cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a dominant but understudied component of the tumor microenvironment, while they are known to greatly affect tumor growth, the anti-tumor immune response and radiotherapy response. You will use a combination of organoid models, preclinical models and human primary tumor tissue to shed light on the role of CAFs in the tumor microenvironment and therapy response. Will you join our research group?

Tasks and responsibilities
In addition you possess the profile below:

• Plan, perform, analyze, and discuss experiments; set up new protocols and assays.
• Attend work meetings as well as activities of the PhD program.
• Possible supervision of bachelor/master students (from year 2 or 3 on).
• Take responsibility for your own project and lead it to a successful PhD thesis.

We are looking for an ambitious PhD candidate with initiative, motivation and perseverance. You should have:

• a MSc degree in biomedical sciences (molecular/cellular biology/medical biology/immunology).
• Strong interest in pre-clinical research.
• a passion for science.
• Excellent communication skills in English.

Candidates holding an article 9 certificate for working with experimental animals are especially invited to apply.

Working at Radboud university medical center means that you are ahead of the curve and working together on the healthcare of the future. And there is more. Our secondary terms of employment are impressive. These are fully tailored to you thanks to our Employment Conditions Selection Model. At Radboud university medical center, you will be given trust, and you will take the responsibility to handle everything together. We provide annual courses, both professional and personal.

• A gross monthly salary between € 2.789 and € 3.536 (scale 10A) based on full-time employment.
• An annual vacation allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
• If you work irregular hours, you will receive an allowance.
• As a full-time employee (36 hours per week), you are entitled to approximately 168 vacation hours (over 23 days) per year.
• Radboud university medical center pays 70% of the pension premium. You pay the rest of the premium with your gross salary.
• You get a discount on health insurance as well: you can take advantage of two group health insurance plans. UMC Zorgverzekering and CZ collectief.

In addition to our terms of employment, we also offer employees various other attractive facilities, such as childcare and sports facilities. Want to learn more? Take a look at the Cao UMC.

At the Radiotherapy and oncolmmunology lab (department of Radiation Oncology) approximately 25 researchers aim at better understanding cellular interactions in the tumor microenvironment using imaging, molecular-, cell biological- and immunological- techniques in relation to cancer therapies, especially radiotherapy. The interplay between tumor cells, fibroblasts and immune cells is studied within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and modulation of the TME on the efficacy of treatment. An important activity of the department is the translation of basic research into clinical application.
Research Institutes
At the moment there are more than 1,300 PhD candidates at our medical hospital. This number includes PhD candidates on our pay roll as well as external candidates (those employed somewhere else but researching on our premises).

• Radboud Institute for Health Sciences: ± 700
• Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences: ± 400
• Donders Center for Medical Neurosciences: ± 200

Read what it is like to do a PhD at the Radboud University Medical Center.

Radboudumc
Radboud university medical center is a university medical center for patient care, scientific research, and education in Nijmegen. Radboud university medical center strives to be at the forefront of shaping the healthcare of the future. We do this in a person-centered and innovative way, and in close collaboration with our network. We want to have a significant impact on health and healthcare. We want to improve with each passing day, continuously working towards better healthcare, research, and education. And gaining a better understanding of how diseases arise and how we can prevent, treat, and cure them, day in and day out. This way, every patient always receives the best healthcare, now and in the future. Because that is why we do what we do.

Read more about our strategy and what working at Radboud university medical center means. Our colleagues would be happy to tell you about it. #weareradboudumc