Postdoctoral Fellow

Adoptive cell therapy demonstrates remarkable success in in the treatment of malignancies. This therapy relies on the infusion of tumor-specific T cells that subsequently trace and kill tumor cells. Besides non-modified T cells, such as tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), T cells are often derived from blood and redirected toward cancer antigens via gene-engineering with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) or T cell receptors (TCRs). CAR-T cell therapy has elicited profound responses in hematological malignancies, whereas TIL and TCR-T cell treatments have shown responses in solid tumors, such as melanoma and synovial sarcoma. Despite this tremendous progress, there is still an urgent need to identify and exploit new, tumor-specific targets.

Many tumors escape treatments, such as checkpoint inhibitors, by an adaptive feedback response that activates immunosuppressive pathways. For example, T cells that are initially activated often mediate the induction of immune suppressive enzymes, such as indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1). The creation of novel and unique epitopes, as a consequence of above adaptive response, diversifies the landscape of the cancer’s immunopeptidome and discloses potentially new targets for TCR-T therapy.

In this project, where Erasmus MC works together with NKI, this new class of epitopes will be used to generate and select TCR-T cells as a prelude to their potential clinical utilization. You will make use of multiple state-of-the-art technologies to identify and validate epitopes as well as TCRs, ranging from in silico and molecular tools to in vitro assays with tumor organoids and in vivo experiments.

The candidate researcher will work closely with experienced technicians, PhD students and is involved in the writing of scientific publications and grant applications.

A healthy population and excellence in healthcare through research and education; this is what Erasmus MC stands for. Conducting groundbreaking work, pushing boundaries and leading the way. In research, education, and healthcare. Our mind set is practical, we have a high level of expertise, and we work hard towards improvement and renewal of today’s healthcare and tomorrow’s public health.

The Department of Medical Oncology has a long-standing tradition in clinical and translational cancer research. The research activities of our department are organized into 5 different divisions: Translational Cancer Genomics and Proteomics; Translational Pharmacology; Translational Onco-Immunology; Clinical Trials; and Palliative and Supportive Care.

Research at the laboratory of Tumor Immunology (Division of Translational Onco-Immunology) is involved in the following activities towards new or ongoing patient studies: develop and test T cell treatments; understand and intervene with cross-talk between tumor cells and micro-environment; and immune monitor T cell phenotype and function. See for more details:

https://www.erasmusmc.nl/en/cancer-institute/research/researchers/debets-reno

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For more information about this position, please contact Rosita Pherai on behalf of prof. dr. Reno Debets, via phone +31(0)10.7038307/ +31(0)10 041718 or Email: r.pherai@erasmusmc.nl/ j.debets@erasmusmc.nl.