JR Post Doc

Junior Postdoctoral Fellow at the Laboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Pathology

📍 Work location: Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4 | Pieve Emanuele (MI)

📄 Contract type: Fixed-term contract

Why Humanitas

Choosing Humanitas means joining an environment where quality of care is built every day through clinical expertise, innovation and teamwork, where everyone contributes to the patient care journey.

Who we are

Humanitas Research Hospital is a highly specialized research and university hospital, and the first in Italy to be certified as an Academic Hospital by the Joint Commission International. Research is driven daily by over 500 physicians, biologists, physicists, data scientists, and technologists working across hospital wards and 10,000 sqm of high-tech laboratories. Our mission is to transform discoveries into concrete cures, with a strategic focus on five key areas: cancer, immunology, neuroscience, gastrointestinal medicine, and molecular cardiology.

The context

The Laboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Pathology, led by Prof. Michela Matteoli at Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Milan, is seeking a talented researcher to join our dynamic research team. We are recruiting a junior postdoctoral fellow (fixed-term contract) to contribute to a cutting-edge project on glioblastoma funded by the Fondo Italiano per le Scienze Applicate (FISA), with Dr. Marco Riva, MD, as Principal Investigator.

The project addresses three major obstacles that limit the efficacy of current therapies for high-grade primary brain tumors such as glioblastoma: anatomical barriers, including the blood-brain barrier and the dense extracellular matrix; the biological heterogeneity of tumor cells; and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. To overcome them, we are investigating a novel therapeutic approach based on the local, sustained delivery of anti-cancer agents. The project will evaluate drug-loaded local platform in combination with radiotherapy and with immunomodulatory agents, with the ultimate goal of bringing the most effective configuration toward clinical trials.

The Humanitas Clinical and Research Center provides an outstanding setting, combining state-of-the-art laboratory and animal facilities with a close integration of clinical and research activities, fostering a highly collaborative and productive environment.

Join us in advancing brain tumor research and contribute to the development of innovative local therapies for glioblastoma!

We are looking for a highly motivated junior postdoctoral researcher with a strong passion for neuro-oncology and in vivo research. The ideal candidate will have a PhD in Biology, Biotechnology, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Immunology, Oncology, or a related discipline, and the ability to work independently, accurately, and efficiently. The successful applicant will manage syngeneic glioblastoma models in vivo and patient-derived cells in vitro to evaluate the efficacy of local drug delivery and combination therapies.

Key Responsibilities:

- Development and management of syngeneic mouse models of glioblastoma, including orthotopic intracranial implantation by stereotaxic microsurgery.

- Planning and execution of experimental sacrifices with collection and processing of the brain and 5+ additional organs.

- Tissue immunophenotyping by multiparametric flow cytometry, including tissue dissociation and data analysis.

- In vitro culture and handling of patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells.

- In vitro evaluation of treatments, alone or combined with radiotherapy.

- Accurate data recording, regular reporting to the PI, and contribution to project reports and scientific publications.

Requirements and skills:

- PhD in a relevant discipline.

- Training in the use of animals for scientific purposes under Italian Legislative Decree 26/2014 (EU Directive 2010/63), with documented hands-on experience in mice.

- Proven experience in mouse handling, i.p. administration, and microsurgery (stereotaxic intracranial surgery is a strong plus).

- Experience in multi-organ sampling and flow cytometry-based immunophenotyping.

- Experience in cell culture, preferably with primary or patient-derived stem cells.

- Previous experience with brain tumor models (syngeneic and/or PDX/PDOX) is advantageous.

- Good command of scientific English, written and spoken.

What we offer

Working at Humanitas means contributing to a future where care, wellbeing and professional excellence grow together. For this reason, we offer:

- a wellbeing programme that also includes initiatives supporting physical and psychological health;

- practical work-life balance measures, including initiatives supporting parenthood and financial wellbeing;

- training and development opportunities to foster talent and enhance skills in a dynamic and innovative environment.

This offer is open to candidates in compliance with Legislative Decrees 198/2006, 215/2003 and 216/2003.