Postdoctoral Fellow – Translational Cancer Immunology

Van Andel Institute (VAI), a world-class biomedical research institute, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is dedicated to improving human health. We are pioneers in the fight against cancer, Parkinson's, and other diseases.

We are committed to inspiring the next generation of scientists and educators. The Laboratory of Dr. Clifford Cho, M.D., in the VAI Department of Cell Biology, is seeking to hire two full-time Postdoctoral Fellows to support the cutting-edge research efforts. The Cho Lab focuses on translational cancer immunology, exploring ways to improve cancer-fighting immunotherapies. These postdoctoral positions are immediately available for two motivated PhD’s who have graduated within the past two years and bring one of the two following areas of expertise and experience. These two postdoctoral fellowships will be integral to the work of our laboratory.

Our laboratory is a leader in the field of histotripsy-focused ultrasound, and these positions will focus on translating our preclinical insights into clinical application. Biomedical Engineering Biomedical engineering expertise in the design and implementation of focused ultrasound tumor treatment. Computational and Bioinformatics Computational and bioinformatics expertise in transcriptomic analysis of tumor specimens.

Why Choose the Cho Lab? Our laboratory is a leader in an emerging field seeking to understand the unique biological effects of focused ultrasound tumor therapy. In preclinical studies, we discovered that histotripsy focused ultrasound therapy not only enables non-invasive and precise destruction of tumors, but initiates a series of inflammatory and immunogenic events that reshape the tumor microenvironment and trigger systemic tumor-directed immune responses. Dr. Cho led the national multicenter clinical trial that led to FDA approval of histotripsy liver tumor treatment, and his laboratory has an active research protocol that analyzes pre-treatment and post-treatment patient tumor samples to validate and amplify the biological effects that have been elucidated in experimental models. As a postdoctoral fellow in our laboratory, you will: Interface with our clinical histotripsy program, providing engineering insight to clinical studies that will evaluate the therapeutic effects of cavitation energy dose modulation. Interface with industry partners, evaluating technological implications arising from our laboratory discoveries.

Actively advance your independent education, mentorship, experimental design, grant application, research presentation, and laboratory management strategy skills in anticipation of your future professional goals.

Work closely with Dr. Cho and Dr. Anutosh Ganguly (research scientist) in regular mentorship meetings. Interact frequently with active and potential collaborators at the Van Andel Institute and other institutions with whom we partner. Each of the Postdoctoral Fellows will specialize in one of the two focus areas: Biomedical Engineering Direct the use and modification of a customized small animal histotripsy treatment device that has been designed for our laboratory. In addition to overseeing histotripsy treatment procedures, you will design and direct experiments designed to measure the biological impact of histotripsy cavitation dose adjustments. Provide biomedical engineering insight into the design, conduct and interpretation of ongoing experiments measuring the impact of histotripsy on immunogenic cell death, hypoxia responses, tumor remodeling, anti-tumor immune responses, and therapeutic efficacy of combinatorial cancer treatment strategies.

Computational and Bioinformatics Design and direct experiments to deepen our understanding of the ways in which histotripsy triggers immune responses and alters the tumor microenvironment. This work will involve singe cell RNA sequencing, spatial proteomics, spatial transcriptomics, and metabolomic assays requiring familiarity with advanced data analysis. Work closely with another postdoctoral research fellow with biomedical engineering expertise on experiments using a customized small animal histotripsy treatment device that has been designed for our laboratory. Provide bioinformatic insight into the design and analysis of ongoing experiments measuring the impact of histotripsy on immunogenic cell death, hypoxia responses, tumor remodeling, anti-tumor immune responses, and therapeutic efficacy of combinatorial cancer treatment strategies.

Why join the Van Andel Institute as a Postdoctoral Fellow? Postdoctoral fellows are a crucial part of Van Andel Institute’s efforts to improve the health and enhance the lives of current and future generations. Postdoctoral fellows are full-time employees and receive a competitive annual salary beginning at $71,000.

Along with the competitive salary, our Postdoctoral Fellows are also eligible for VAI benefits, including: Medical, dental and vision coverage Employer-sponsored life and AD&D insurance Additional voluntary life and AD&D insurance for employees and dependents Short-term and long-term disability insurance Flexible-spending accounts for health and child/elder care 401(k) retirement savings plans with employee/employer contributions Paid vacation, holidays, personal days

Relocation Assistance Additional benefit offerings are available, and details will be provided during the recruitment process VAI recognizes that selecting where to complete a postdoctoral fellowship is a significant decision for postdoctoral fellows. VAI has a dedicated Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, which provides a comprehensive professional development program that supplements training received in VAI labs.

Successful candidates for this position will have the following qualifications:

• The ideal candidate will be scientifically driven and possess strong technical skills, attention to detail, and lab management acumen.
• A Ph.D. degree in biomedical engineering, cancer biology or a related field with a specific emphasis on the design and use of focused ultrasound tumor treatment platforms, OR A Ph.D. degree in cancer biology or a related field with a specific emphasis on the advanced sequencing technologies.
• A self-driven and hard-working individual with a strong curiosity about basic science and its clinical application.
• A collegial team member with the ability to interact effectively and cordially with colleagues.
• An organized scientist who pays attention to detail and values research integrity.
• Experience with mammalian tissue culture and/or animal work.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Experience with manuscript writing and figure design.

Success Measures: We will have achieved our mutual goals in this recruitment if: You have acquired the necessary skills you need to advance to an independent and productive scientific career. You have overseen and completed a novel project illuminating the biological impact of histotripsy cavitation energy dose modulation, OR You have overseen and completed a novel project illuminating an as yet unexplored aspect of the biological impact of histotripsy tumor therapy. The laboratory has established productive protocols for small animal histotripsy treatment delivery.