PhD student - Cancer Biology/Immunology

We are looking for a highly motivated biologist/biomedical scientist to participate in an interdisciplinary team of translational scientists to advance the development of neoadjuvant immunotherapy for renal cell carcinoma.

The Netherlands Cancer Institute is developing strategies for immune checkpoint inhibitors in multiple tumor types, to significantly improve survival outcomes for patients. Our previous research identified cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) as key mediators of treatment response in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). T cells recognize tumor antigens through their cognate T cell receptors (TCRs) and can subsequently eliminate cancer cells. Therefore, understanding which tumor antigens are recognized by T cells, together with their functional states, is essential for advancing immunotherapy strategies in RCC. Previous work at our institute established a high-throughput screening platform for the discovery of tumor-reactive TCRs. This technology combines large-scale synthesis of synthetic TCR libraries with patient-specific antigen screening. Using functional screens, we can identify TCRs with potent tumor reactivity. These findings support the development of predictive biomarkers and novel therapeutic approaches, including personalized cancer vaccines and T-cell-based therapies.

Your role

Building on the NESCIO neoadjuvant clinical trial, in which patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) received a short course of immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment followed by nephrectomy, this project aims to unravel anti-tumor immune responses and identify novel tumor antigens. Using patient samples obtained from this trial, you will apply cutting-edge functional screening approaches and advanced single-cell technologies to support the development of future immunotherapies for RCC.

In this project, you will:

• Apply our functional antigen screening platform to identify tumor antigens in patient samples from the NESCIO trial.

• Generate T-cell receptor (TCR) and antigen libraries and perform functional antigen drop-out screens to identify tumor-reactive TCRs and their cognate antigens.

• Contribute to the isolation, extraction, and expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) from surgical specimens.

• Evaluate the feasibility of TIL-based therapy for renal cell carcinoma.

• Use single-cell RNA sequencing to characterize the phenotype and functional state of tumor-reactive TILs.

• Gain new insights into the mechanisms underlying anti-tumor immune responses in RCC and contribute to the development of next-generation immunotherapies.

Interdisciplinary team

You will be a key player in a translational research team with clinicians, cancer researchers, immunologists and computational scientists and you will be exposed to a broad spectrum of cancer immunology research. Your projects will be run in close collaboration with clinical PhD students and teams from the department of Molecular Oncology & Immunology, Medical Oncology, Urology and Computational Cancer Biology. This is a highly collaborative environment, exploiting the power of ‘team science’. Our translational kidney cancer research team, works on the development of neoadjuvant immunotherapy for renal cell carcinoma. Currently, the team is led by Dr. Koen van der Mijn, Prof. Dr. John Haanen and Prof. Dr. Axel Bex.

We are seeking an ambitious, creative molecular biologist, with

• A strong interest in translational research

• A degree or have expertise in molecular biology, immunology or a related discipline

• Experience in statistics, and/or bioinformatics programming languages (e.g. R, Python)

• Good cross-disciplinary collaborative and communication skills

• Priority will be given to candidates with a second degree in medicine.

Your development opportunities and employment conditions

The basis for your employment conditions is in accordance with the CLA Hospitals. You will receive from us:

• A contract for four years, based on 36 hours per week;

• A gross monthly salary between € 3.813,- and € 4.629,-, based on a 36-hour working week, in line with the PhD scale and depending on previous PhD experience;

• 144 holiday hours and 57 hours of Personal Life Budget, with full-time employment;

• Annual holiday pay of 8.33% and a fixed end-of-year bonus of 8.33%;

• A travel allowance of €0.23 per km;

• Free parking at the Netherlands Cancer Institute. And with our bicycle plan and discount on public transport we also make it attractive for you to leave the car at home;

• A great opportunity in a specialised hospital where you can also continue to learn and grow yourself if you wish: the AVL Academy offers innovative and inspiring education in the field of oncology professional knowledge, skills and personal development;

• Opportunity to exercise at our Fit Boutiqs;

• An active PhD council.

Interested?

We are curious about your talent! Will you be the one to make a difference in the world of cancer care and research? Apply now by using the apply/solliciteer button! Please attach your cover letter, CV and contact details of two references to the application form. Make sure to include your documents in one or two files, as there is no option to submit more document.

For further information about the position, please contact Dr. Koen van der Mijn, k.vd.mijn@nki.nl.

The application deadline is July 1st 2026.