PhD position in Translational Tumor Immunology University of Basel in Switzerland

The University of Basel’s Translational Immuno-Oncology research group, co-led by Prof. Dr. Mascha Binder and Dr. Sarah Adamo, is offering a PhD position in Translational Tumor Immunology. The project sits at the interface of basic immunology, translational oncology, and patient-centered cancer research, with a strong emphasis on how anti-tumor immune responses emerge, evolve, and support durable disease control.

The successful candidate will investigate whether cancer therapies can induce endogenous T cell responses against tumor antigens beyond the original therapeutic target, and whether these responses contribute to long-term tumor control through epitope spreading. The initial proof-of-principle setting will focus on patients with B cell lymphoma receiving targeted therapies, including CAR-T cells and bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs). The broader goal is to build a framework that can later be applied across cancer types and treatment modalities.

The work combines tumor- and blood-based genomic profiling, HLA typing, neoantigen prediction, functional screening of candidate epitopes, longitudinal profiling of antigen-specific T cells, single-cell RNA and TCR sequencing, peptide–MHC tetramers, and high-parameter spectral flow cytometry. The PhD student will also work with immune-repertoire analysis, transcriptomics, and integrated clinical datasets to understand which immunological features are associated with durable benefit.

This is a highly interdisciplinary project with access to clinical samples, close collaboration with clinical and scientific partners, and a research environment that supports independence and project ownership. The candidate will contribute to experimental and computational analyses, data visualization, scientific reporting, conference presentations, and manuscript preparation.

Eligibility highlights: a Master’s degree or equivalent in Biological Sciences, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, or a related field; experience with laboratory experimentation; strong interest in T cell immunology and cancer immunotherapy; excellent English communication and writing skills; and the ability to work both independently and in a team. Experience with flow cytometry, human samples, molecular biology, cancer genomics, single-cell methods, immune-repertoire analysis, or programming in R/Python is advantageous.

Application deadline: 15 November 2026, 12:00 (Europe/Zurich). The position is based in Basel, Switzerland, within the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Basel.