PhD & Postdoc positions in metastases bioengineering 100%
Start in June 2025
The Department of Biomedicine is a joint effort between the University of Basel and the University Hospitals Basel. It unites basic and clinical scientists to advance our understanding of health and disease and to develop pioneering therapies benefiting the lives of patients in areas of unmet need.
With more than 70 research groups and 800 employees, the Department of Biomedicine is the largest department at the University. We are located in the heart of Basel at 6 different locations. Be part of our future!
Positions are available in the laboratory of Professor Momo Bentires-Alj at the Department of Biomedicine (DBM). The successful candidate will work on engineering breast cancer metastases to study the interactions of cancer cells with the tumor microenvironment.
Selected publications of our lab include: 1- Glucocorticoids promote breast cancer metastasis. Obradovic MMS et al., Nature 2019. 2- Hepatic stellate cells suppress NK cell-sustained breast cancer dormancy. Correia AL et al., Nature 2021. 3- Feed-forward loops between metastatic cancer cells and their microenvironment-the stage of escalation. Baumann Z et al., EMBO Mol Med. 2022. 4- Optimized full-spectrum flow cytometry panel for deep immunophenotyping of murine lungs. Baumann Z et al., Cell Rep Methods. 2024. 5- Microenvironmental Regulation of Dormancy in Breast Cancer Metastasis: "An Ally that Changes Allegiances". Kabak EC et al., Adv Exp Med Biol. 2025.
Your position
The successful candidate will work on developing and utilizing 3D heterotypic cultures of bone, liver and/or lung to model metastasis and investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the reciprocal crosstalk between cancer cells and the metastatic microenvironment using heterotypic cultures and patient samples. The candidate will implement a variety of OMICs at single cell and spatial levels, as well as standard and advanced molecular and cellular biology approaches. Validation of the findings in mouse models is foreseen.
Your profile
A strong background in bioengineering with expertise in biomaterials and 3D culture systems, preferably in the context of oncology and the tumor microenvironment. Expertise in 3D heterotypic cultures of bone, liver and/or lung, microscopy, and the tumor microenvironment is a plus. The candidate should demonstrate ability to think critically and a strong aptitude for interpreting/analyzing complex data. We are looking for someone with excellent organizational skills, creative, highly motivated, and fluent in English with strong written and oral communication skills.
We offer you
A stimulating, challenging and interdisciplinary translational research environment, state-of-the-art technologies and core facilities, and attractive employment conditions. The DBM is an international institute pursuing basic, translational and clinical research, with access to cutting-edge core facilities and in the heart of multicultural city of Basel.
Lab website: https://bentireslab.org/
Please upload your CV, a summary of your research experience and interests, techniques that you are competent in, and the contact details of three referees including your current PI at:
PhD position: https://biped.dbm.unibas.ch/apply/phd_position_in_metastases_bioengineering_start_june_2025
Postdoc position: https://biped.dbm.unibas.ch/apply/postdoc-position-in-metastases-bioengineering-start-in-june-2025
Application deadline: Applications will be reviewed as they arrive.
Contact: thmrjobapplication-dbm@unibas.ch
