Postdoc in immunology and cancer research

Postdoc in immunology and cancer research at the Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset Form of employment: Temporary Scope: Full-time (or close to full-time e.g.in the case of part-time parental leave).Time period: One year with the possibility to be prolonged.Description of the work group and its focus: The department is a multi-disciplinary unit focusing on clinical questions such as diabetes, cardiac disease, inflammation, infectious disease and cancer.Different working groups of the department share study areas as well as laboratory facilities.The current work is performed within a subgroup of the department focusing on inflammation.The scope of the current work is the study of human T-lymphocytes that can recognize tumour cells with defects in antigen presentation.T-lymphocytes have the ability to discriminate between healthy cells and cancer cells.Therefore, they are possible tools in cancer therapy.For target cell recognition most T-lymphocytes are dependent on a cellular antigen presentation machinery in the target cells that displays internal cellular proteins in the form of short peptides on the cell surface.Defects in this antigen presentation machinery results in escape from recognition by T-lymphocytes.Defects in antigen presentation is common in cancer cells, especially in metastases, which therefore can escape from T-lymphocyte mediated recognition and killing. The work aims to generate human T-lymphocytes that can recognize cancer cells with defects in antigen presentation with the goal to use them in clinical trials in cancer patients.In mice, T-lymphocytes with this specificity can inhibit growth of aggressively growing tumours when adoptively transferred.Furthermore, tumour cells from all tissues tested were recognized due to recognition of a conserved cellular protein (Wolpert EZ et al.Selective cytotoxic T-lymphocyte targeting of tumour immune escape variants.Nature Medicine 2006 Apr;12(4):417-24). Area of responsibilities/duties: To be responsible for the experimental work of the project: e.g.culture of human dendritic cells (DC) derived from donor blood, optimizing DC stimulatory capacity, analysis of T-lymphocytes and target cell killing with FACS (fluorescence activated cell sorting).In vitro stimulation of human T-lymphocytes with DC treated with various synthetic molecules.Qualifications: Ph.D.degree in cellular immunology, cellular cancer research or related subjects.A documented strong ability to work independently.Experience of FACS analysis, culture of DC and/or T-lymphocytes and work with antibodies is an important merit. The appointment as postdoc at Karolinska Institutet is on a project-based fixed-term basis in accordance with the Employment Protection Act and shall last for a maximum of four years. Karolinska Institutet seeks to promote equal opportunities by encouraging a balanced gender distribution.We also value the qualities that ethnic and cultural diversity can contribute to the university. Send your application, marked with reference number 2854/2009-226, to reach us by no later than 2009-06-29.1.A full CV, including date of public defence, title of thesis, previous academic appointments, academic title, current position 2.A full publication list 3.A brief outline of your current work (max.