Researcher in Cancer Immunology and Cancer Cell Death
Deadline: 02.01.2026
Publisert
The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest ranked educational and research institution, with 26 500 students and 7 200 employees. With its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally recognised research communities, UiO is an important contributor to society.
The Institute of Clinical Medicine (Klinmed) is one of three institutes under the Faculty. Klinmed is responsible for the Faculty's educational and research activities at Oslo University Hospital and Akershus University Hospital. With about 900 employees spread over approximately 425 man-labour years, Klinmed is the university's largest institute. Our activities follow the clinical activity at the hospitals and are spread across a number of geographical areas.
About the position
A 2-year researcher position is available in cancer immunology and cancer cell death at the Cell Signalling and Immune Regulation research group, Institute for Cancer Research, Division of Cancer Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway. Starting date: As soon as possible.
The two-year Researcher position is funded by the FRIPRO Young Talent Programme of the Norwegian Research Council. The project, led by Youxian Li, aims to uncover the mechanisms and biological significance of distinct forms of cancer cell death induced by cytotoxic lymphocytes.
Project description
The induction of cancer cell death is a pivotal aspect of effective cancer treatment. Our immune system harbors cytotoxic immune cells, notably cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), capable of recognizing and eliminating malignant cells expressing cognate tumour antigens. Historically, CTL-induced cancer cell death has been primarily attributed to the programmed form known as apoptosis. However, accumulating evidence indicates that cell death events previously considered ‘non-programmed’, such as necrosis, may also be intricately regulated and have profound biological implications. To fully harness the therapeutic potential of CTLs, it is crucial to gain a deeper understanding of these less-characterized modes of cell death.
We are seeking an exceptional and motivated researcher to lead a project aimed at dissecting the molecular determinants of previously undefined forms of CTL-induced cancer cell death and evaluating the physiological relevance of these novel death mediators using in vivo mouse models. The position has a duration of two years.
The project group is part of a vibrant and inclusive research environment (https://www.ous-research.no/kt/) at the Department of Cancer Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research (ICR), Oslo University Hospital. The group has extensive expertise in T cell biology, tumour immune evasion, CRISPR technology, chemical screening platforms, and precision oncology.
Responsibilities
Develop and optimize in vitro models and methodologies to investigate cytotoxic lymphocyte-mediated cancer cell death.
Perform genome-wide CRISPR screens to identify novel mediators of cancer cell death.
Conduct mechanistic studies to elucidate how candidate genes regulate cancer cell death processes in vitro.
Establish and utilize syngeneic mouse models to evaluate the physiological relevance of validated death mediators in vivo.
Qualifications
Foundational Qualification requirements
A PhD or an equivalent doctoral degree in immunology, molecular biology, cell biology, or a related discipline. Applicants who have not yet been awarded their degree must have submitted their doctoral dissertation for evaluation by the application closing date.
A track record of scientific productivity, demonstrated by at least one first-author publications in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals.
Full professional proficiency in both written and spoken English.
Desired Skills and Expertise
Cellular Immunology: A strong theoretical understanding of adaptive immunity, particularly T cell biology, is required. Extensive experience with primary immune cells, advanced multi-colour flow cytometry (FACS), T cell functional assays, and cell proliferation/death assays is highly desirable.
Molecular Biology: Experience in Western blotting, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), DNA and RNA isolation, siRNA-mediated gene knockdown in cell lines and primary cells, molecular cloning, and imaging. Experience with CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and CRISPR screening is an advantage, as is prior involvement in in-depth mechanistic studies.
In Vivo Mouse Models: Applicants should hold an animal research licence (FELASA or equivalent). Practical experience with mouse models is preferred. Familiarity with the Norwegian administrative system (FOTS) for applying for and managing animal experiment approvals, as well as knowledge of reporting regulations for animal use in research, will be considered a strong asset.
Computational and Data Analysis: Proficiency in software such as FlowJo and GraphPad Prism is expected.
Experience in large-scale data analysis and familiarity with programming languages such as R or Python is desirable.
Personal qualities
We seek a candidate who is dedicated, resilient, and with genuine enthusiasm for experimentation and scientific discovery.
Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications
We need different perspectives in our work
UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.
We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues—could you be the next one?
We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.
If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps (Norwegian), we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).
The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.
We hope you will apply for the position with us.
We offer
Exciting and meaningful tasks in an organization with an important societal mission, contributing to knowledge development, education, and enlightenment that promote sustainable, fair, and knowledge-based societal development.
Committed colleagues in a good working environment.
A workplace with good development and career opportunities.
Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
Annual salary: NOK 550,000–650,000 as a Researcher (position code 1108 for candidates who have not yet obtained a PhD) or NOK 650,000–750,000 as a Researcher (position code 1109 for candidates with a PhD), depending on qualifications and experience. A statutory contribution of 2% will be deducted for membership in the State Pension Fund
Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.
Application
Your application should include:
Application letter (max. 1 page): Describe your research bakground, key achievements and specific motivation for applying to this project.
CV.
A complete list of publications.
Transcripts and certificates.
Contact information for 2-3 references.
Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position".
When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your transcripts or grades. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.
General information
The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews.
Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us.
The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.
UiO aims at obtaining a balanced gender composition and recruit employees with immigrant background. In addition, UiO wants that our coworkers reflect the diversity in the population as much as possible. We therefore encourage qualified applicants with reduced functional capacity to apply for the position. As IA-enterprise we will facilitate conditions for coworkers with reduced functional capacity
