Researcher in Immunotherapy of cancer

The Section for Cellular Therapy counts 40 employees split in a clinical ward (Clean rooms and GMP facility) and the Translational Research Unit (15 employees, 2PIs), which is developing pre-clinical solutions in cancer immunotherapy (celltherapy.no). We have produced the first Norwegian CAR molecule, anti-CD37CAR (Köksal, Dillard et al. 2019, Caulier et al. 2024). Our Unit has the capacity to run full pre-clinical validations of TCR and CAR molecules: Radium-1 TCR was also the first ever tested TCR in an academic clinical trial in Scandinavia (Radium-1 TCR, NCT03431311; Maggadottir et al. 2024). Our discoveries have led to the establishment of two biotechs: Ultimovacs and Zelluna AS. We are located at the Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator (https://occincubator.com/), next to the Radium Hospital, which represents an excellent environment for innovative-oriented development.

One researcher 100 % position in Immunotherapy of cancer: “4KAPAI: Fourth generation-K101CAR-based pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma Immunotherapy” is available for a duration of three years. The project is supported by Norwegian Cancer Society. Starting date latest September 2026.

Project description:

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) therapies have demonstrated remarkable clinical efficacy in otherwise fatal cancers; however, their therapeutic success has so far been limited to a narrow range of tumour types. K101CAR, which targets the MUC16 antigen, represents a promising strategy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

The aim of this project is to enhance the expression and performance of K101CAR using a fourth‑generation CAR design. By implementing a virus‑free transfection system, the project seeks to generate a product of superior quality, improved safety, and greater translational potential.

Qualifications:

The candidate must hold a PhD degree in a relevant scientific field and already have postdoctoral experience in immunology or immunotherapy.
Knowledge and practical experience in all of the following domains are mandatory and must be documented:

• Immune cell culture (PBMC isolation, primary T‑cell manipulation, and functional assays)
• Immunological methods (flow cytometry, ELISA)
• Animal experimentation (FELASA‑C or equivalent certification)

Experience in one or more of the following areas will be considered an advantage:

• Molecular biology (cloning, RNA isolation, qPCR, retro‑ or lentiviral manipulation)
• Cell biology: spheroid or organoid culture, or organ‑on‑a‑chip systems
• CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing
• Immunotherapy: vaccine development, BiTEs, immune receptors (TCR, CAR, or others)
• Advanced microscopy (confocal) or live‑cell imaging

The candidate should be hard‑working, independent, and ambitious. We seek someone mature and responsible, capable of driving the project at the bench, organizing meetings with partners in 4KAPAI, and disseminating results.
We offer a dynamic and modern research environment equipped with state‑of‑the‑art instruments and direct access to hospital core facilities. We support personal development and encourage training in relevant areas.

The application (in English) must include:

1. Motivation letter (½ page, online): a brief explanation of why we should hire you, what you will bring to the lab, and your ambitions.
2. List (attachment-1): detailing the mandatory techniques listed above, including the lab where each was performed and any related publications. Additional relevant skills may also be included.
3. CV (use the online form) with all relevant information
4. List (attachment-2): publications/patents (title, authors, journal) with a brief description of your contribution to your top five.
5. Official copies of educational certificates (attachment-3) including grades.

Please respect the requested document lengths and do not use AI. Applications exceeding page limits, including unrequested documents, or containing AI‑generated material will be disqualified.