Postdoctoral Fellow or Research Associate - Leukemia Drug Resistance and Relapse

City of Hope

Monrovia, CA

Job posting number: #7108393 (Ref:10018357)

Posted: August 19, 2022

Application Deadline: Open Until Filled

Job Description

Thank you for your interest.  Please note, the purpose of this posting is to recruit for on-going and future positions. 

About City of Hope

City of Hope is an independent biomedical research and treatment organization for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.

Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy such as CAR T cell therapy. City of Hope’s translational research and personalized treatment protocols advance care throughout the world. Human synthetic insulin, monoclonal antibodies and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs are based on technology developed at the institution.  AccessHope™, a subsidiary launched in 2019 serves employers and their health care partners by providing access to City of Hope’s specialized cancer expertise.

A National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope is ranked among the nation’s “Best Hospitals” in cancer by U.S. News & World Report and received Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Its main campus is located near Los Angeles, with additional locations throughout Southern California and in Arizona.

City of Hope’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We believe diversity, equity and inclusion is key in serving our mission to provide compassionate patient care, drive innovative discovery, and advance vital education focused on eliminating cancer and diabetes in all of our communities.  Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ensures we bring the full range of skills, perspectives, cultural backgrounds and experiences to our work -- and that our teams align with the people we serve in order to build trust and understanding.  We are dedicated to fostering a community that embraces diversity - in ideas, backgrounds and perspectives; this is reflected in our work and represented in our people.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Research Associate or Postdoctoral Fellow to join our lab studying drug resistance and relapse in leukemias; and how the microenvironment of the leukemia cells contributes to this. This project focuses on understanding mechanisms contributing to loss or lack of responsiveness of Multiple Myeloma to monoclonal antibody immunotherapy.

Key Responsibilities include:

  • Excellent technical skills:  able to perform hands-on lab benchwork experiments proficiently and independently.
  • Generate, interpret and evaluate data, communicate results in an organized manner.
  • Accurate record keeping.

Basic education, experience and skills required for consideration:

  • Research Associates – Must have a bachelor’s degree, master’s is preferred in biological sciences or related field.
  • Postdoctoral Fellows – Must have a Ph.D. in biological sciences or related field.
  • Expertise in FACS, flow sorting of primary hematopoietic cell types, magnetic bead column isolation of human hematopoietic cells.
  • Culturing human hematopoietic cell lines in tissue culture, viably freezing and thawing hematopoietic cells.
  • Viable cell counting.
  • Basic biochemical skills such as processing cells for protein lysates and RNAseq.

Preferred education experience and skills:

  • Isolation of human NK cells from PBMC and performing ADCC assays with them.
  • Generating CRISPR/Cas9 knockouts in human hematopoietic cell types.
  • Co-culture of human hematopoietic cells with supporting stromal cells.

Additional Information:

  • As a condition of employment, City of Hope requires staff to comply with all state and federal vaccination mandates.
  • The location of our lab at the Monrovia Campus of the Beckman Research Institute within the Department of Systems Biology provides many opportunities to interact with others who study leukemias.
  • Our lab has ongoing collaborations at the crossroads of leukemia research and glycobiology with the ACRF International Centre for Cancer Glycomics at the Institute for Glycomics Griffith University, Australia.
  • For more information, please visit Dr. Heisterkamp at City of Hope https://www.cityofhope.org/nora-heisterkamp
  • Please include an updated CV, a cover letter describing your current position, reasons for applying and contact details of two referees. Email to [email protected]

City of Hope is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability.



City of Hope is a community of people characterized by our diversity of thought, background and approach, but tied together by our commitment to care for and cure those with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The innovation that our diversity produces in the areas of research, treatment, philanthropy and education has made us national leaders in this fight. Our unique and diverse workforce provides us the ability to understand our patients' needs, deliver compassionate care and continue the quest for a cure for life-threatening diseases. At City of Hope, diversity and inclusion is a core value at the heart of our mission. We strive to create an inclusive workplace environment that engages all of our employees and provides them with opportunities to develop and grow, both personally and professionally. Each day brings an opportunity to strengthen our work, leverage our different perspectives and improve our patients’ experiences by learning from others. Diversity and inclusion is about much more than policies and campaigns. It is an integral part of who we are as an institution, how we operate and how we see our future.


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