PRR Project

Summary

The selected candidate will be expected to lead a Research Group that matches and reinforces the scientific interests and strategy of the Cancer integrative program of i3S. In that role, he/she is expected to demonstrate strong leadership skills, assemble his/her own team and secure extramural funding for his/her research. The selected candidate must hold a PhD in Health/Life Sciences, or related areas for 12 or more years, an excellent scientific track record, and is expected to pursue highly innovative research projects in frame of the Cancer Integrative Programs. The selected candidate must be experienced in the supervision of PhD and Master students, and willing to contribute to the i3S training mission, by supporting advanced training and participating in graduate and PhD programs. The selected candidate is also expected to carry out duties to which he/she will be elected or appointed in i3S collegiate bodies. Engagement into the i3S educational program and outreach activities is also expected.The mission of the Cancer integrative program at i3S is to translate cutting-edge fundamental science into knowledge and practical benefit for cancer patients. Through major discoveries in fundamental research, the integrative program has established an international reputation in the fields of gastrointestinal, endocrine and breast cancer, hereditary cancer, cancer glycobiology, cancer molecular genetics, cell division and cell cycle control. Reflecting this international status, the integrative program has developed new prognostic, diagnostic and treatment tools by identifying: risk factors and molecular mechanisms that trigger cancer; molecules involved in cell growth and invasion; biomarkers for therapy stratification; and new molecular targets and vehicles for treatment. The Cancer integrative program includes 23 research groups working on molecular and cellular biology, oncobiology, pathology, metabolism, cancer genetics and population genetics, in association with groups working on bioengineering. The groups routinely use cancer cell-lines, organoids, and animal models such as zebrafish, fruit fly and mice, and recur to live imaging, advanced microscopy, high-throughput genomics and proteomics and gene manipulation. All i3S Cancer group leaders conducting translational research in cancer have already attained a secured position. But the Cancer integrative program still needs to strategically guarantee a tenure position to some of the group leaders who are dedicated to unravel the biological mechanisms recognized as cancer hallmarks (such as cell division, chromosome segregation, ageing and gene expression regulation). This basic science branch of the Cancer integrative program has been highly competitive internationally, having attracted most of the 6 ERC grants in i3S and several “la Caixa” research grants, and regularly publishes in top-tier journals like Nature and Science.This Principal Researcher position will be attributed to an outstanding candidate working in the field of Cellular Senescence and Aneuploidy. At least three types of cellular stress, such as activation of oncogenes, loss of tumor suppressor genes, and chemotherapy/radiotherapy, can induce cellular senescence. Senescence at an early stage is beneficial by inducing an irreversible arrest of the cell cycle and triggering immune clearance of incipient tumor cells. Prolonged senescence, and the alteration of the cellular microenvironment through a pro-inflammatory secretion phenotype, can promote tumor cell growth, invasion and metastasis, and tumor vascularization. Senescence is closely related with chromosome segregation errors (chromosomal instability or CIN), also a hallmark of human neoplasms. However, knowledge of the mechanisms and contributions of CIN in cancer remains very elusive. The Principal Researcher should be proficient in applying omics approaches and functional assays to measure cellular and tissue ageing, and testing pharmacological approaches to modulate ageing phenotypes in pre-clinical models. He/she is expected to master the study of mechanisms of cell division leading to CIN, and to explore the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of CIN.