Seeking MSCA Postdoctoral Fellow - Cancer and Ageing Research

We aim to uncover how primary tumors systemically reprogram distant organs to establish permissive niches for metastatic dissemination. Our goal is to identify clinically relevant biomarkers and actionable therapeutic targets for metastasis prevention, a pressing unmet need in oncology. Our research addresses key drivers of metastatic progression, including extracellular matrix remodeling, vascular dysfunction, and immune modulation and evasion. We also study how systemic factors, such as aging, metabolic conditions, and therapy-induced tissue remodeling, influence the susceptibility of distant organs to metastatic colonization. Our areas of expertise include breast cancer, brain metastasis, osteosarcoma, lung metastasis, and urologic tumors.

Our group brings together clinical teams and fundamental researchers within a strongly interdisciplinary framework. We integrate experimental oncology with advanced in vivo imaging, flow cytometry–based immunophenotyping, molecular and cellular biology, and the examination of human samples, complemented by radionuclide-based theranostic strategies that combine molecular imaging with targeted therapies.

We welcome highly motivated MSCA Postdoctoral Fellows with backgrounds in cancer biology or related fields. Fellows will benefit from a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment with strong training and career development opportunities.

Our group is embedded in the iCBR (FMUC) (https://www.uc.pt/en/fmuc/icbr/), a multidisciplinary institute integrating basic, translational, and clinical research, closely linked to the University Hospital Center of Coimbra, ensuring access to clinical expertise, patient samples, and advanced infrastructure.