Background & Role
A postdoctoral position is available with the Cancer Biotherapeutics group/Molecular Therapies for Cancer in Ireland within the National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology at Dublin City University (DCU) to undertake research on the following project: “Pre-clinical assessment of a small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) to identify novel combinations for the treatment of breast cancer”. This postdoctoral position is funded through a Science Foundation Ireland Strategic Partnership Programme.
Specifically, the project will identify novel combinations of a c-ErbB-family-targeting TKI, neratinib, with chemotherapy and other targeted therapies in HER2+ breast cancer. The project will have a heavy emphasis on cell culture, utilising cell line models representing TKI -sensitive and TKI-resistant patient tumours. Proliferation studies will be used to screen for priority TKI combinations with clinically relevant chemotherapies (e.g. docetaxel/carboplatin) and additional targeted therapies (e.g. HER2-targeting antibodies/antibody drug conjugates). Mechanistic studies will be undertaken to assess the basis of synergistic combinations and model interactions of neratinib, and other TKIs, with the blood brain barrier. The most promising TKI combinations will be evaluated in vivo. The ultimate aim of this project is to provide the pre-clinical rationale to support clinical trials of novel treatment strategies for patients with HER2+ breast cancer.
This project is an academia/industry collaboration. The project will be co-supervised by Dr. Denis Collins, Cancer Biotherapeutics, DCU and Prof. John Crown, St Vincent’s University Hospital/DCU.
Principle Duties and Responsibilities
Reporting to his/her Principal Investigator the Postdoctoral Researcher will:
• Conduct a specified programme of research under the supervision and direction of the Principal Investigator.
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders including academic and industry
partners/collaborators as appropriate.
• Carry out administrative work associated with the programme as necessary.
• Supervise and assist postgraduate students working in this area with their research
• Document all experimental data, analyses and protocols.
• Report/present regularly at group meetings.
• Attend relevant meetings, seminars, training and conferences.
• Contribute to manuscript preparation relevant to the project.
• Complete a detailed report upon completion of the project.
• Undertake standard laboratory management tasks.
• Monitor and report on project budget expenditure.
• Assist in identifying and developing future research and funding initiatives.
• Undertake other tasks as defined by the project leaders.
Candidates will be assessed on the following competencies:
Discipline knowledge and Research skills – Demonstrates knowledge of a research discipline and the ability to conduct a specific programme of research within that discipline
Understanding the Research Environment – Demonstrates an awareness of the research environment (for example funding bodies) and the ability to contribute to grant applications
Communicating Research – Demonstrates the ability to communicate their research with their peers and the wider research community (for example presenting at conferences and publishing research in relevant journals) and the potential to teach and tutor students
Managing & Leadership skills - Demonstrates the potential to manage a research project including the supervision of undergraduate students
Minimum Criteria
The successful candidate will hold a PhD in the area of cancer biology or a related discipline.
Mandatory experience:
• Maintenance and quality control of a panel of cancer cell lines
• Assessment of the effect of targeted therapies on cell growth, cell cycle progression and cell death mechanisms
• Examination of alterations in cell signalling pathways
• Bioanalytical skills (RT-qPCR, flow cytometry, western blotting, ELISA)
Desirable experience:
• In vitro models of the blood brain barrier
• In vivo rodent tumour models and drug delivery
• P-gp /BCRP ATPase assays
• 3D cell culture models
Salary: €38,631 SFI Post-doctoral Researcher Level 2A Pt. 1, 3 year contract
Closing date: 21st August 2020
This role requires an immediate start date of October 1st 2020.
Application Procedure
Informal enquiries to:
Dr. Denis Collins, NICB, DCU
E-mail:
[email protected] Phone: +353 (0) 87 7530431
Please do not send applications to this email address, instead apply as described below.
Application Procedure
Application forms are available from the DCU Current Vacancies (open Competitions) website at
http://www.dcu.ie/vacancies/current.shtml and also from the Human Resources Department, Dublin City University, Dublin 9. Tel:+353 (0) 1 7005149.
Applications should be submitted by email to
[email protected] or by Fax: +353 (0)1 7005500 or by post to the Human Resources Department, Dublin City University, Dublin 9.
Dublin City University is an equal opportunities employer
