Postdoc position to study targeted protein degradation as a novel strategy in cancer immunotherapy

The group of Dr. Christopher Schliehe in the Department of Immunology at the Erasmus University Medical Center is inviting applicants for a postdoc position. Dr. Schliehe´s team has a focus on antigen presentation and immune regulation in the context of immunotherapies. It combines a large spectrum of experimental approaches (including classical immunological techniques, in vivo models, genetic screens, mass spectrometry, and chemical immunology) to explore the molecular mechanisms and regulatory processes involved in antigen presentation on MHC class I molecules as well as innate and adaptive immune activation.

In this NIH-funded project, the Postdoc will investigate small molecule degraders / Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) as novel therapeutic agents in cancer immunotherapy. PROTACs are hetero‐bispecific molecules that link a specific E3 ligase complex with a target protein that is consequently degraded by the ubiquitin/proteasome system. The central aim of this project is to perform proof-of-concept experiments demonstrating the potential of PROTACs to improve cancer-specific CD8+ T-cell responses in an immunotherapeutic setting. The candidate will generate novel experimental tools (e.g. genetically engineered cancer cell lines), perform in vitro / ex vivo cell culture assays with mouse and human cell lines / immune cells, and execute in vivo cancer models in mice - including luciferase-based in vivo imaging techniques, tumor regression studies and the ex vivo characterization of immune responses.

This position requires a highly motivated and skilled Postdoc candidate that can independently work on the diverse aspects of this project. In addition, team spirit and the ability to closely collaborate with other scientists in Dr. Schliehe´s team and the Department of Immunology are considered important.