Postdoctoral Fellow – Cell Division and Cancer Biology

About the role

The Maxwell Laboratory at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute and UBC seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to investigate mechanisms of cell division, epithelial organization, and immune interactions in cancer biology.

Key responsibilities

• Design and execute basic and translational research projects on epithelial cell fate, spindle orientation, and BRCA1 pathway perturbations.
• Develop and use in vivo and ex vivo models, including patient‑derived mammary epithelial systems and mouse genetics.
• Analyze data, prepare manuscripts and grant proposals, present findings at meetings, and mentor junior trainees.

Required profile

• PhD in Cell Biology, Cancer Biology, Developmental Biology, Biochemistry or related field obtained within the last 2 years.
• Strong expertise in at least one area: epithelial biology/organoid systems, epithelial‑immune interactions, or cell division/spindle dynamics.
• First‑author publications in high‑impact journals.
• Ability to work independently, demonstrate creativity, and lead projects.

Required skills

• Live‑cell imaging or advanced microscopy.
• Mouse models or genetically engineered systems.
• Primary cell culture and organoid techniques.
• Molecular perturbation methods such as CRISPR or RNAi.

What we offer

• Opportunity to address fundamental questions in cancer biology and prevention.
• Collaboration with national and international interdisciplinary teams, including early‑phase clinical studies.
• Access to human tissue models and state‑of‑the‑art imaging platforms.
• Strong mentorship toward academic independence or research scientist careers.
• Competitive salary of $65,000 CAD per year.