Doctorat / PhD — New immunotherapeutic tools for the treatment of cancers with poor prognosis

Doctorat / PhD Profil chercheur : First Stage Researcher (R1) Type de contrat : Temporary Date limite de candidature : 22 Nov 2026 - 15:00 (Europe/Madrid) Date de début : 7 Dec 2026 Programme UE : Not funded by a EU programme Département : Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Madrid -IIBM- Domaine : Biological sciences

The project will involve the development of new immunotherapeutic tools for the treatment of cancers with poor prognosis, including new lentiviral vectors for TRUCKs with expression regulated by the tumor microenvironment. We also will study the modulation of the immune synapse to enhance the effector function and persistence of CAR T cells. This project is funded by the Consortium in Biomedicine Program from Community of Madrid. Our consortium, the Next Generation ImmunoTherapy Madrid is a joint effort by basic and clinic groups. Therefore, both the scientific and medical relevance of the project is particularly strong . It integrates immunology, molecular and cellular engineering, tumor biology, advanced microscopy and clinically relevant preclinical models to address a major limitation of current CAR therapies. The objective is not simply to develop a new experimental tool, but a therapeutic candidate with potential application in patients with refractory or relapsed B-cell malignancies, including aggressive pediatric cancers with poor prognosis. The PhD student will be based in the host IIBM-CSIC laboratory . This Institute provides access to state-of-the-art technologies including advanced flow cytometry, confocal and STED microscopy, in vivo imaging, animal facilities, high-field MRI. Genomic facility and more. A major strength of the project is its strong translational potential . The combination of an original 4th generation CAR platform with direct access to collaborators with clinical expertise, as well as availability of clinically validated CAR components provides a clear pathway towards future clinical development. Overall, this PhD offers the opportunity to work at the frontier of cellular immunotherapy in a laboratory that originated and leads new CAR platforms , while being part of a high-level scientific and clinical collaboration.

The project will involve the development of new immunotherapeutic tools for the treatment of cancers with poor prognosis, including new lentiviral vectors for TRUCKs with expression regulated by the tumor microenvironment. We also will study the modulation of the immune synapse to enhance the effector function and persistence of CAR T cells.

This project is funded by the Consortium in Biomedicine Program from Community of Madrid. Our consortium, the Next Generation ImmunoTherapy Madrid is a joint effort by basic and clinic groups. Therefore, both the scientific and medical relevance of the project is particularly strong . It integrates immunology, molecular and cellular engineering, tumor biology, advanced microscopy and clinically relevant preclinical models to address a…