A postdoctoral position is available at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School. The goal of the project is to define the molecular mechanisms that block CD8 T cell function within tumors and to develop novel approach for cancer immunotherapy. The project utilizes a novel shRNA technology that enables analysis of genome-wide libraries in populations of primary T cells in vivo. T cells will be infected with pools of lentiviruses that drive expression of shRNAs and transfered into tumor-bearing mice. T cells that become resistant to inhibition in the tumor microenvironment will proliferate extensively and these enriched T cell populations will be identified on a microarray that uses the shRNAs as barcodes. The function of these target genes will then be characterized using a comprehensive set of biochemical, immunological and imagaing approaches. Also, the therapeutic potential of targeting of these genes will be investigated.

 

The position offers the opportunity to learn cutting-edge RNAi and other molecular immunology approaches. Prior experience with T cell immunology, cancer immunology or biochemistry/molecular biology is a plus. The search is primarily targeted towards scientists who are just finishing their PhD or have recently graduated. Please send CV and names of three references to Dr. Kai Wucherpfennig, kai_wucherpfennig@dfci.harvard.edu.

 

Please visit our website for background on the lab and our other research activities:http://research4.dfci.harvard.edu/tcell/