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Postdoctoral Researcher in Lymphoid Microenvironment Models And Their Use To Study Targeted Therapy And Resistance In B Cell Malignancies

Research Position | Published on 20.12.2024 |

Come to CEITEC MU in Brno and join us!

We are passionate molecular biologists at CEITEC looking for 

Postdoctoral Researcher

in Lymphoid Microenvironment Models And Their Use To Study Targeted Therapy And Resistance In B Cell Malignancies

About this position: 

You will work in a team of young investigators that challenge major problems in the field of hematology. We do basic and translational science, but with the objective to help patients in the future (we have access to primary samples with hem. malignancies, and mouse models).

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells and indolent lymphomas rely on microenvironmental signals for survival, proliferation, and therapy resistance. CLL cells undergo apoptosis in vitro, necessitating microenvironment models for long-term culture and proliferation studies. Existing in vitro and in vivo models, based on coculture with T-lymphocytes or stromal cells, mimic some aspects of the natural microenvironment but have limitations. 

This research aims to develop and optimize models replicating the lymphoid microenvironment to study new therapeutic strategies, including drugs targeting CLL proliferation, resistance mechanisms, and combinatory approaches not feasible in conventional cultures. A recently developed co-culture model enables robust CLL cell proliferation. Using primary patient samples and cell lines, the project will employ functional assays, RNA sequencing, genome editing, and drug screening to explore microenvironmental dependencies and resistance to targeted therapies.

The candidate profile: 

• Motivated smart person with "drive" to work independently, but also willing to learn from other people in the lab and collaborate
• Having degree in Molecular biology, Biochemistry, or similar field and have deep interest in molecular biology and cancer cell biology

What you will learn and do:

• Think and work independently as a scientist, design experiments and formulate hypothesis
• Write of abstracts and papers (and course in grant writing and presentation of data)
• Attend conferences to present your research
• Spend 1-2 months visit(s) in collaborating labs in Europe or US
• Collaborate with experts in wet lab research and bioinformatics
• Critically analyze scientific data (regular journal clubs)
• Classical and novel methods of molecular biology (e.g. RNAseq, Crispr, Cut&Tag, mouse mdoels, immunoblotting, flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, cell cultures, cloning), and you will use our in vitro models for microenvironmental interactions, and artificial activation/inhibition signalling pathways to decipher the gene regulatory loops

• Supervise students, if interested

 What we provide to you: 

• Open access to CEITEC MU core facilities with state-of-the-art equipment and experienced staff
• Full contract for Post-Docs with competitive salary (funded by ERC grant)
• Flexible working hours
• Support for further education and professional development 
• Benefits package: 6 weeks of paid holiday, medical insurance, financial contribution to meal and kindergarten/pension scheme, Multisport card, mental health care, sports at the campus 
• Kindergarten Elánek in Campus
• Support in these areas:
  • Welcome Office service before and after arrival 
  • Grant Office support 
  • Postdoc Peer Committee
  • CEITEC events – workshops, conferences, lectures, training, family gathering etc. 
  • More at Why work at CEITEC MU?

How to apply? 

Application deadline: 15.1.2025

Start date: early 2025 (to be negotiated)

Contact the PI and submit a CV by email to: marek.mraz2@email.cz