Post-Doctoral Fellow – Cancer Immunotherapy and mRNA Therapeutics

Postdoctoral fellows are expected to apply for external funding opportunities, but will receive a minimum yearly stipend of $75,000 plus benefits. 

Post-Doctoral Fellow – Cancer Immunotherapy and mRNA Therapeutics

Job Summary and Responsibilities:

A full-time Post-Doctoral Fellow position is available at the University of British Columbia in the Underhill group to investigate mechanisms of immune resistance and therapeutic response in a soft tissue cancer. Working in collaboration with Polymorphic Biosciences, the successful candidate will use syngeneic mouse models to define barriers to effective anti-tumor immunity and evaluate whether mRNA–lipid nanoparticle (mRNA–LNP) vaccination can generate antigen-specific immune priming and promote intratumoral immune engagement.

The project combines tumor immunology, flow cytometry, spatial and molecular immune profiling using 10X Genomics Xenium (and 10X Genomics Atera, Fall 2026), and in vivo therapeutic studies to identify mechanisms underlying immune exclusion and resistance within immune-cold tumors. The Fellow will contribute to the development of translational decision frameworks that inform future mRNA-based immunotherapy strategies and combination approaches.

The appointment is for 24 months and is supported through a Mitacs Accelerate partnership with Polymorphic Biosciences. The anticipated start date is September or October 2026 and applications should be submitted directly to tunderhi@brc.ubc.ca by June 30.

Qualifications:

Applicants should have a PhD in immunology, cancer biology, molecular biology, or a related discipline, with experience in murine models, flow cytometry, spatial transcriptomics and/or cancer immunology considered strong assets. The candidate should also be able to work independently or collaboratively, and there are numerous opportunities to engage with the academic community and biotechnology sector.