Postdoctoral Fellow

**Job Description**
The collaborative group, comprising the MDM group at the University of Luxembourg and Prof. Tejpar’s laboratory at KU Leuven, investigates stromal-epithelial crosstalk in colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation, progression, and therapy resistance using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) and spatial transcriptomics. The primary research focus will be to define how fibroblasts transition into distinct cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) subtypes and how these regulate epithelial plasticity and immune responses, promoting tumor progression and therapy resistance. This involves integrating spatial transcriptomics, advanced co-culture organoid assays, and in vivo models to decode mechanisms underlying CAF-driven CRC evolution. The Postdoctoral Fellow will work jointly between the two universities, contributing to the TARGET-SEC project, which aims to identify novel therapeutic strategies targeting pro-tumorigenic stroma-epithelial interactions in CRC. The role focuses on applying innovative bioinformatics approaches to human-relevant models and patient-derived tissue cohorts from CRC to dissect the tumor “ecosystem,” emphasizing epithelial cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and immune cells, and comprehensively profiling their heterogeneity, plasticity, and evolutionary dynamics.

**Skills & Abilities**
• Experience with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq)
• Experience with spatial transcriptomics
• Ability to apply innovative bioinformatics approaches
• Familiarity with advanced co-culture organoid assays and in vivo models
• Data collection, interpretation, and analysis skills
• Scientific documentation skills

**Qualifications**
Required Degree(s) in:
• Bioinformatics
• Cancer Biology
• Molecular Biology
• Cell Biology

**Experience**
Other:
• Prior experience with single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics data
• Experience applying innovative bioinformatics approaches

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