ERC funded post-doctoral cancer researcher @ De Preter Lab

The Translational Onco-genomics and Bio-Informatics lab (TOBI-lab; tobi.ugent.be) at the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology is actively seeking a postdoctoral fellow to help advance the EpiGuide project. This project aims to develop a novel minimal-invasive blood assay to monitor epigenetic switches associated with cancer therapy resistance. The candidate will help coordinate the project and act at the interface of omics technology implementation, bioinformatic pipeline development and (pre)clinical assay validation.

The overarching goal of the TOBI team is to enhance precision cancer management through the development of innovative wet lab and bioinformatic tools for diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive analysis.  Prof. Katleen De Preter is the principal investigator of the TOBI team (https://depreterlab.sites.vib.be/en ), an internationally renowned cancer researcher, and a member of the Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG: https://www.crig.ugent.be/en/prof-katleen-de-preter-phd ). In 2022, an ERC consolidator grant was awarded to her to support the advancement of the EpiGuide project.

The TOBI lab is part of the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology (CMB) which focuses on the development of new and innovative molecular tools and technologies to address human health problems. The center translates its insights into widely applicable research tools, vaccines, diagnostics, and biopharmaceuticals. The research at CMB pushes the boundaries of biomolecular and bioinformatics research and engineering technologies.

• You will play a pivotal role in driving the science behind the EpiGuide project and in ensuring a cohesive and effective approach to reach the project objectives.
• You will be involved in the optimization and implementation of assays to monitor epigenetic mechanisms of drug response, including novel (single-cell) sequencing technologies on cancer tissues and liquid biopsies.
• You will be involved in the preclinical test validation in murine cancer models, and clinical validation on human patient samples.
• You will coordinate the sampling of mice models and the collection of patient samples.
• You will co-supervise graduate and Ph.D. students who collaborate on the research project.
• You will interact with collaborating research teams within the VIB and the Cancer Research Institute Ghent (https://www.crig.ugent.be/en ), as well as with international collaborating teams and VIB core facilities.

• You hold a Ph.D. in life sciences (obtained max. 6 years ago).
• Experience in cancer research, (epi)genomics, transcriptomics, massive parallel sequencing, assay optimization, and omics data mining is required.
• You have excellent written and oral English skills, as evidenced by prior peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.
• You are a talented researcher with strong motivation and high professional standards.
• You are ambitious and passionate about research.
• You have performed impactful research.
• You can work autonomously while having strong team player skills.
• You are a fluent communicator.
• Experience in project writing and the successful achievement of grants is a plus.
• Experience in the supervision of graduate and Ph.D. students is a plus.
• Experience with mouse modelling is a plus.

• We offer you a fixed-term contract for a term of 2 years, that may be extended with 1 year;
• A competitive compensation package based on expertise and experience
• A wide range of fringe benefits (eco cheques, a bicycle allowance, or full reimbursement of public transport costs)
  
• Participation in an exciting and rapidly evolving new research area within a multidisciplinary environment;
• Become a member of a young, dynamic and enthusiastic research team with great team spirit that operates at international level and is dedicated to improving survival of cancer patients;
• Embedding within an environment that houses top research teams with a broad range of expertise,
• Access to state-of-the-art technology and core facilities in areas such as (epi)genomics, transcriptomics, (single-cell) sequencing, bioinformatics, in vivo mouse modeling, imaging, etc;
• Access to VIB’s broad internal training, encompassing both specialist training courses and training in transferable skills.
• A work environment that highly values employee well-being and fosters a vibrant social atmosphere.
• Starting date: as soon as possible, the position is immediately available.

Interested candidates are invited to apply as soon as possible via the online system. Applications will be welcome until the position is filled.

Your application must include the following documents:

• A cover letter, your CV
• Your diploma with the required degree (if already in your possession). If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French, or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages.
• Optionally: a reference letter, …

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Katleen De Preter ([email protected] ). Please, use the online form to submit your application. We only consider online applications.