Vacancy Postdoctoral Positions – Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Vascular Metabolism
The Center for Cancer Biology (CCB) is one of the research departments of VIB (Vlaams Instituut Biotechnologie) located in KU Leuven – Campus Gasthuisberg. CCB hosts 12 research groups with an employment of about 250 researchers, administrative and technical collaborators.
The laboratory of Professor Peter Carmeliet is especially focusing on the development of blood vessels (Angiogenesis) and vascular metabolism, and consists of 60 driven researchers and lab technicians. The Lab is looking for a dynamic, highly motivated and independent postdoctoral scientist to join the team.
The focus of the lab is to characterise the regulation of cell metabolism and to determine the role of metabolism during the process of angiogenesis. Angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels, plays a crucial role in numerous diseases, including cancer. Inhibiting the formation of vessels within the tumor (anti-angiogenic therapy) has emerged as a promising anti-cancer strategy. Clinically approved anti-angiogenic drugs offered prolonged survival to numerous cancer patients.
Unfortunately, monotherapy with the current available anti-angiogenic agents often results in the development of treatment resistance. Thus, novel strategies are needed to block tumor angiogenesis via alternative mechanisms. The tight interaction between blood vessels that provide metabolic substrates, and the tumor cells that utilize them, leads to the obvious link between metabolism and angiogenesis, surprisingly this has not been studied so far. Recent studies from the lab revealed that targeting endothelial metabolism could be a possible alternative therapeutic strategy for anti-angiogenic therapy. In this perspective, we are aiming to investigate several metabolic pathways in different models of angiogenesis.
Job description
You are responsible for:
- Leading independently your research project, under the direct supervision of Prof. Carmeliet
- Organizing weekly team meetings to update your research results
- Participating in high-level seminars
Profile
- You have a PhD in cancer / metabolism / angiogenesis or any related field
- You are interested and motivated to work on an ambitious project in an open, dynamic, competitive and driven team
- You should be skilled in molecular & cellular biology methods, biochemistry and cell culture
- You have a strong publication record (including at least one paper as a first author) in peer-reviewed international journals, with an emphasis on quality rather than quantity of publications.
- You should have excellent communication skills in spoken and written English (proven knowledge of English is required, TOEFL test)
- You should be capable of working in a team as well as independently
- Interest and experience in the use of in vivo cancer models, mass spectrometry for metabolite determination and identification and transcriptomics would be an advantage
We offer
- Excellent training conditions within a team of experts in the field of angiogenesis and metabolism
- The opportunity to be part of a multidisciplinary international cutting edge research lab (CCB offers Core facilities including: Imaging, Molecular Biology, Metabolomics, Histology, Aquatic facility (zebrafish & tadpoles), transgenesis and mouse facility, etc.)
- Access to state-of-the-art technologies in biomedical research
- The dynamic working environment, a competitive remuneration package, a stimulating scientific surrounding in a young, enthusiastic, motivated team (with English as main language)
- Long-term career opportunities
- starting as soon as possible.
How to apply?
Your online application should contain:
- Complete CV
- Motivation letter
- List of publications
- Summary of past research
- Contact information or reference letters of 2 or 3 referees