Postdoctoral Position in Cancer Neuroimmunology

As a joint venture of the University of Basel and the University Hospitals Basel, the Department of Biomedicine (DBM) brings together basic and clinical scientists to advance the understanding of health and disease.
We are home to more than 67 research groups and over 800 employees across six locations in the heart of Basel. Our collaborative and international environment fosters innovation, excellence, and impactful research.
The Cancer Neuroimmonology, led by Prof. Karen Dixon, is looking for a fully funded postdoctoral position.

Join our community and help shape the future of biomedicine.
A fully funded postdoctoral position is available in the Dixon Lab at the University of Basel to investigate how the nervous system shapes anti-tumour immunity and the tumour microenvironment.
Our lab studies neuro-immune communication in cancer, with a particular focus on how peripheral neurons sense changes in tissue state and regulate immune-cell function. Emerging evidence suggests that neural signals can profoundly influence inflammation, immune surveillance, and tumour progression, yet the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing these interactions remain poorly understood.

Your position

The successful candidate will lead an ambitious interdisciplinary project at the interface of immunology, neuroscience, and cancer biology. The project will investigate how neural pathways regulate immune responses within tumours and how neuro-immune circuits can be manipulated to improve anti-tumour immunity.
Research directions may include:

• how peripheral sensory or autonomic neurons regulate dendritic-cell and T-cell function
• neuronal sensing of inflammatory and tumour-derived signals
• neuropeptide and neurotransmitter regulation of anti-tumour immunity
• neural control of immune-cell trafficking, activation, and persistence within tissues
• identification of neuro-immune signalling pathways that promote or restrain tumour growth
• functional validation of new therapeutic targets at the neuro-immune interface

Experimental approaches include in vivo tumour models, conditional mouse genetics, neuronal tracing, genetic and viral manipulation of neuronal populations, immune-cell depletion and adoptive transfer, spectral flow cytometry, cell sorting, imaging, transcriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and functional neuro-immune assays.

Your profile

We are looking for a highly motivated experimental immunologist with a strong interest in neuro-immunology and tissue biology.
Applicants should have:

• a PhD in immunology, cancer immunology, neuroimmunology, molecular biology, or a related discipline
• a strong conceptual and experimental background in immunology
• substantial hands-on experience with in vivo mouse models
• extensive experience with flow cytometry and immune-cell phenotyping
• a strong record of experimental research, ideally including a high-quality first-author publication
• the ability to design, execute, and interpret mechanistic experiments independently
• strong scientific communication skills and the ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment

Experience in tumour immunology, dendritic-cell biology, T-cell biology, mouse genetics, peripheral neuroscience, neuronal tracing, viral vectors, single-cell genomics, spatial biology, or advanced imaging would be particularly advantageous.
Importantly, prior training in neuroscience is not required. Candidates with a strong immunology background who are excited to move into the emerging field of cancer neuroimmunology are strongly encouraged to apply.
Research environment
The Dixon Lab is based at the Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, within a highly interactive research environment spanning immunology, cancer biology, neuroscience, genomics, and translational medicine.
Our laboratory combines mechanistic in vivo immunology with neural circuit approaches, single-cell technologies, and spatial biology to understand how the nervous and immune systems communicate in health and disease.
The successful candidate will have access to excellent infrastructure for flow cytometry, animal experimentation, advanced microscopy, single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and computational biology, together with extensive opportunities for collaboration within Basel and internationally.
We are particularly interested in candidates who want to take intellectual ownership of an ambitious project, ask mechanistic questions, and develop an independent scientific profile in the rapidly emerging field of cancer neuroimmunology.

We offer you

• A stimulating, interdisciplinary research environment focused on neuro-immunology in cancer
• A dynamic and international team with a strong culture of collaboration and mutual support
• Close interaction with neighboring labs in neuroscience, immunology, oncology, and cancer immunology
• Strong mentorship, including career development support and guidance toward independent research careers
• Intellectual freedom to develop computational methods and scientific ideas
• Competitive academic environment at the University of Basel