Post Doc Fellow - Oncology

A Brief Overview

Assume responsibility for an on-going, innovative research project as a Postdoctoral Fellow at CHOP. Our postdoc experience will broaden your skillset, scientific background, and research capabilities.

The postdoctoral fellow (postdoc) and will conduct translational pediatric cancer biology, genomics, and immuno-oncology research under the direction/guidance of Dr. Kris Bosse at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). Dr. Bosse's laboratory is focused on understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms driving neuroblastoma tumorigenesis and developing new therapies, including immunotherapeutic strategies, for this and other aggressive pediatric cancers (see Bosse et al., Cancer Cell, 2017; Raman et al., Cell Reports Medicine, 2021; Heitzeneder et al., Cancer Cell, 2022; Pascual-Pasto et al, JITC, 2022, Foster et al, JITC, 2022, Pascual-Pasto et al, Nature Communications, 2024 and Pascual-Pasto et al, Clinical Cancer Research, 2024 as examples). The postdoc will join a growing translational research team based in his laboratory. Several opportunities exist to work in collaboration with several other laboratories at CHOP/UPenn and at 10 other institutions as part of the St. Baldricks-Stand Up To Cancer Immunogenomics Team in developing and validating new immunotherapeutic strategies for pediatric cancers. Multiple specific projects exist under this umbrella designed to discover and develop novel, impactful new immune-based therapies for children with cancer. Available projects include (but are not limited to) translating current immunotherapies in the lab across pediatric cancers, new immunotherapeutic target discovery in neuroblastoma and other pediatric cancers, next-generation chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development, defining mechanisms of tumor cell intrinsic and extrinsic immune escape, deciphering the key biologic functions of prioritized immunotherapeutic targets, dual antigen immunotherapeutic targeting, CAR vaccination approaches, and correlative biology studies from ongoing clinical trials that developed from work done in the Bosse laboratory. The Bosse laboratory is also interested in utilizing syngeneic neuroblastoma models to define critical synergistic CAR T cell and ADC therapeutic combinations that can be translated to the clinic. Other opportunities are available in the laboratory to explore and define the underlying mechanisms of therapeutic resistance and disease progression in neuroblastoma utilizing data acquired from the serial profiling of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in this disease (see Bosse et al., Cancer Discovery, 2022 as an example). Key putative genomic mechanisms of therapeutic resistance have been identified that are primed for functional validation studies. Cancer and molecular biology experience are required, and familiarity with advanced genomic and immuno-oncology techniques and methods, as well as experience with in vivo mouse models, are preferred skills. This job is open to those seeking first or second post-docs.

CHOP's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
CHOP is committed to building an inclusive culture where employees feel a sense of belonging, connection, and community within their workplace. We are a team dedicated to fostering an environment that allows for all to be their authentic selves. We are focused on attracting, cultivating, and retaining diverse talent who can help us deliver on our mission to be a world leader in the advancement of healthcare for children.

We strongly encourage all candidates of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

Responsibilities

• Participate in project planning, recording, and evaluation of data.

• Conduct independent scholarly research, developing new methods and protocols under the guidance of a mentor (principal investigator).

• Acquire technical, lab management, and grant writing skills.

• Participate in seminars, lectures, poster sessions, national presentations, and professional workshops.

• Supervise junior lab members.

• Assist with other research projects as needed.

Education

• Required: Doctorate