Download Targeting of the tumor stroma for improved cancer therapy

PhD position at the Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Herlev Hospital
Targeting of the tumor stroma for improved cancer therapy
We are looking for a highly motivated candidate for a PhD position, with a background in cell biology,
biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, or other relevant fields. Prior research expertise with
mouse work, molecular biology or immunology is advantageous but not a prerequisite.
The project will be carried out at the center for cancer immunotherapy (CCIT) at Herlev Hospital, a
research center with a strong background in experimental and clinical cancer immunotherapy research.
Seven different clinical immunotherapy trials are currently running at CCIT, many of which originate
from our own pre-clinical research results. More information about the center can be found on the CCIT
webpage https://www.herlevhospital.dk/ccit-denmark/Sider/default.aspx.
The overall goal of the project is to uncover how different components of the tumor microenvironment
affect tumor growth and invasion and the efficiency of cancer immunotherapy.
Cancer immunotherapy has had a major breakthrough within the last decade with the discoveries that
endogenous cytotoxic T cells possess the ability to react against cancer cells and that the manipulation
of inhibitory signals can be sufficient for obtaining extremely impressive clinical results. Still, however,
many cancer patients do not respond to immunotherapy – the reason for that being largely unknown.
One likely possibility is that the local T cell response in the tumor gets suppressed by components of the
tumor microenvironment. Indeed, indirect evidence suggests that some stromal cell populations such as
subsets of macrophages can convey efficient immunosuppressive signals.
This study will take advantage of transgenic mice in which specific depletion of different cell populations
of the tumor stroma, including tumor-associated M2 macrophages, can be induced. In combination with
appropriate tumor models this will allow the direct delineation of the role of specific stromal cell
population for tumor progression and for the cytotoxic anti-cancer T cell response. The consequences of
induced depletion of a cell population will be examined using a combination of confocal microscopy,
flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, cytokine profiling and RNA expression profiling. To elucidate
the mechanisms by which the stromal cell populations exert their effect on the tumor, FACS-isolation of
stromal cells followed by assays including 3D cell culture assays, co-culture assays and RNA expression
profiling will be carried out.
The project will involve national and international collaborations with research groups that are at the
absolute forefront of their research fields.
The project will be supervised by Junior Group Leader Daniel H. Madsen, a newly assigned research
group leader returning from a position at the National Institutes of Health, USA. Director at CCIT and
Professor at the University of Copenhagen, Per Thor Straten, will co-supervise the project.
The start date is Januar 1st, 2016 or after agreement. The duration of the project is three years.
Application deadline is November 1st, 2015. The application should include a motivated letter of
application (max. 1 page), a CV, and preferably 1-2 letters of recommendation. Applications should be
e-mailed to Daniel H. Madsen ([email protected]).
For further information regarding the position, please contact Daniel H. Madsen.
E-mail: [email protected] or Tel: +45 38686367.