Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Cancer Biology and Proteomics bei University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine

Academic

Job Category

Faculty Non Bargaining

Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Cancer Biology and Proteomics

Department

Lange Laboratory | Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine | Faculty of Medicine (Philipp Lange)

Posting End Date

October 5, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

October 31, 2026

The expected salary for this position is $60,000 - $80,000 per annum.

The Lange laboratory in UBC Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine is hiring up to three full-time postdoctoral fellows to independently drive research projects across the following areas:

• Spatial and Single-Cell Proteomics in Childhood Cancer
• Cell-cell communication & cellular fitness in CAR-T & CAR-NK therapy
• Deep learning & LLMs in mass spectrometry data analysis and drug response prediction
• Understanding and targeting cancer cells and their surroundings at the proteome level
• Liquid Biopsies and EVs in Childhood Cancer

For our research projects in the Canadian Pediatric Cancer Consortium (otherwise called ACCESS), we are seeking highly skilled and passionate Postdoctoral Fellows. You will develop and lead a research project focusing on high-grade childhood brain tumors, sarcomas or neuroblastomas using technologies such as spatial and single-cell proteomics/genomics. You will also have the opportunity to advance plasma and extracellular vesicle proteome and immunopeptidome analysis to establish innovative liquid biopsy testing and identify new targets for vaccines and immunotherapies.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the Canadian Pediatric Cancer Consortium ACCESS that brings together Clinicians, Scientists, Patients and Policymakers across Canada to re-think pediatric cancer research and care from the ground up. You have direct access to top-of-the-line Thermo Astral Zoom and Bruker TimsTOF-ultra mass spectrometers, laser capture microdissection, unique open-flow microfluidic probe systems, the Seer Proteograph deep plasma proteome platform, clinical specimens and diverse patient-derived model systems. You will also have the opportunity to supervise graduate and undergraduate students, gain leadership experience in collaborative and interdisciplinary projects and contribute to grant applications.

In the later part of your fellowship, we will work with you to develop a secondary project that provides preliminary data for your first independent position and grant or identify connections into the healthcare or private sector to kickstart your next career move. You will be mentored by Dr. Philipp Lange, PhD (Canada Research Chair in Translational Proteogenomics of Childhood Cancer). The position is fully funded for 2 years with the possibility of extension. We are looking for a team member to spearhead and shape the project over a period of 3-5 years and provide a very dynamic yet supportive interdisciplinary environment with dedicated mentoring and excellent opportunities for continued career development. We believe in the strength of diverse teams bringing together the lived experience of individuals from all walks of life and provide a safe space for everyone. The start date is flexible.

RESEARCH TEAM & ENVIRONMENT:

The Lange Lab is a creative, forward-looking and nimble team of scientists with a goal of decoding the human proteome to find new treatment opportunities for children with cancer. We are seeking self-motivated individuals with a strong ability to lead and work collaboratively, and a desire to learn, innovate and bring their expertise to strengthen our team. Based in Vancouver, surrounded by the West Coast mountains, oceans and city life, we are an international and friendly group with a strong motivation to improve patient care.

We embrace tough challenges and take pride in pushing fundamental research all the way to the clinic – today. Together with our partners, we inform the treatment of childhood cancer patients and pave the way to push proteomics-guided precision oncology to the next level (EMBO Molecular Medicine 2025). In our recent research, published in Nature Communications, we evaluated the evolution of proteomes and actionable genome variants and established a strong rationale for starting personalized precision diagnostics immediately at diagnosis.

Located at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) (www.bcchr.ca), the leading pediatric research center in Western Canada, you will be embedded in the highly innovative and interdisciplinary research environment spanning BC Children’s Hospital, UBC and BC Cancer. Vancouver repeatedly ranks among the most livable places in the world and combines excellence in research with high quality of life. Excellent opportunities for personal and professional development are available.

You will be part of a dynamic team of experimental and computational scientists and part of local and national collaborations. You will have direct access to state-of-the-art cell and molecular biology facilities, mouse and chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) modeling platforms, mass-spectrometry, next-generation sequencing, flow cytometry, imaging and computing infrastructure. More information on the Lange Laboratory can be found at https://langelab.med.ubc.ca/.

You will be part of the Canadian Pediatric Cancer Consortium ACCESS and the PROFYLE precision oncology study where you will interact with interdisciplinary teams. This provides an exceptional opportunity to establish a Canada wide network and reputation and an excellent foundation from which to launch into a diverse palette of careers spanning from research faculty and management to health regulation and policy making.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting to Dr. Philipp Lange, the incumbent will be responsible for:

• Conduct basic/translational research in oncology
• Design, implement and execute research plans
• Provide leadership and strategic direction in collaborative research projects
• Implement and advance new mass spectrometry approaches
• Perform and document lab experiments, data analysis, interpretations with exceptional care and attention to detail following rigorous scientific principles
• Write manuscripts, and present results at internal and external meetings
• Foster research collaborations and work jointly with academic, clinical, industry, and other partners
• Identify funding opportunities and contribute to grant proposals with mentor as a lead or co-applicant
• Lead and mentor junior trainees in the laboratory

QUALIFICATIONS

Successful applicants will have:

• PhD with expertise in cancer biology, proteomics and/or computational biology / machine learning
• A proven track record with first author publication(s) in journals relevant in your field and/or shared as preprints
• Strong statistical foundation and expertise in R or python for data analysis
• Fluent in written and spoken English and demonstrated excellence in scientific writing
• Previous experience in proposal/grant writing is an asset
• Exceptional interpersonal and organizational skills
• Expertise in sarcoma, neuroblastoma, CNS malignancies and/or signaling in the tumor microenvironment is an asset
• Hands-on expertise in spatial or single-cell proteomics, cell surface characterization, plasma proteomics, extracellular vesicle or PTM analysis, immunology, microfluidics and/or histopathology are assets
• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.
• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The expected salary for this position is $60,000 - $80,000 per annum. The Faculty of Medicine is committed to offering equitable and competitive salaries, commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

To apply, please submit the following as one PDF file via: https://ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/ubcfacultyjobs

• Cover letter expressing your long-term research vision, career goals and fit for the position, intended start date and relocation plans (if applicable)
• Curriculum vitae
• Copies of your most impactful papers (max 3, submitted or preprint OK)
• Contact information for 3 references

Should you have any queries around this position, please contact Brenda Tse at [email protected]

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will continue until the position is filled. The start date for this position will be a date to be mutually agreed.

We invite applications from qualified candidates who share our commitment to employment equity and inclusive excellence, and we welcome applications from candidates belonging to historically, persistently, or systemically marginalized groups: Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) Peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and trans and non-binary people.
 

The University is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all members of its workforce. An inclusive work environment presumes an environment where differences are appreciated, recognized, and integrated into current structures, planning, and decision-making modes. Within this hiring process we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable process for all candidates (including but not limited to people with disabilities).  Confidential accommodations are available on request. If you have any questions regarding accommodations or accessibility during the recruitment and hiring process or for more information and support, please visit UBC’s Centre for Workplace Accessibility website at https://hr.ubc.ca/health-and-wellbeing/workplace-accessibility/centre-workplace-accessibility or contact the Centre at [email protected].

  

With gratitude, we acknowledge that the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine and its distributed programs, which include four university academic campuses, are located on traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of First Nations Peoples and communities around the province.
 

Our Vision: To Transform Health for Everyone.

Ranked among the world’s top medical schools with the fifth-largest MD enrollment in North America, the UBC Faculty of Medicine is a leader in both the science and the practice of medicine. Across British Columbia, more than 12,000 faculty and staff are training the next generation of doctors and health care professionals, making remarkable discoveries, and helping to create the pathways to better health for our communities at home and around the world.

The Faculty - comprised of approximately 2,200 administrative support, technical/research and management and professional staff, as well approximately 650 full-time academic and over 10,000 clinical faculty members - is composed of 19 academic basic science and/or clinical departments, three schools, and 24 research centres and institutes. Together with its University and Health Authority partners, the Faculty delivers innovative programs and conducts research in the areas of health and life sciences. Faculty, staff and trainees are located at university campuses, clinical academic campuses in hospital settings and other regionally based centres across the province.

UBC - One of the World's Leading Universities. As one of the world's leading universities, the University of British Columbia creates an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship, advances a civil and sustainable society, and supports outstanding research to serve the people of British Columbia, Canada and the world.

UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.

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