A postdoctoral fellow position is available in Dr. Qiang Li’s laboratory in the Department of Urology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Li Laboratory is a translational bladder cancer research laboratory focused on the development and evaluation of novel intravesical and systemic therapies, with the goal of advancing laboratory discoveries into clinical trials and improving the management of patients with bladder cancer.
Our research program integrates molecular and cellular biology, cancer pharmacology, animal modeling, bioinformatics, and therapeutic development. The laboratory has established genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of bladder cancer, patient-derived xenograft models (PDXs), bladder cancer cell-line models, and in vivo platforms for testing intravesical and systemic treatments.
Research Opportunities
The successful candidate will participate in projects involving:
- Development and characterization of genetically engineered mouse models and patient-derived xenograft models of bladder cancer.
- Evaluation of novel intravesical and systemic therapeutic strategies.
- Preclinical drug testing, treatment-response assessment, and mechanistic studies.
- Investigation of molecular pathways associated with bladder cancer development, therapeutic response, and drug resistance.
- Identification and validation of biomarkers that may guide patient selection and clinical treatment.
- Integration of genomic, transcriptomic, pharmacologic, and experimental data.
- Translation of preclinical findings into clinical trials and strategies that may improve bladder cancer management.
Required Qualifications
- PhD, MD, MD/PhD, PharmD, or equivalent doctoral degree in cancer biology, molecular biology, pharmacology, bioinformatics, biomedical sciences, or a related field.
- Strong research experience in at least one of the following areas:
- Molecular and cellular biology.
- Animal modeling and in vivo therapeutic studies.
- Cancer pharmacology and drug development.
- Bioinformatics, computational biology, or analysis of genomic and transcriptomic data.
- Demonstrated ability to design experiments, analyze data, interpret results, and prepare scientific manuscripts.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary research team.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in bladder cancer or another solid-tumor research field.
- Experience with genetically engineered mouse models, patient-derived xenografts, orthotopic tumor models, or intravesical treatment models.
- Expertise in molecular and cellular biology techniques, including cell culture, molecular cloning, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and drug-response assays.
- Experience with pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, combination therapy, or therapeutic-response studies.
- Bioinformatics experience includes genomic, transcriptomic, single-cell, spatial, or publicly available cancer datasets. Programming experience in R, Python, or related computational platforms.
- Interest in developing therapies that may change clinical practice and improve patient outcomes. Strong interest in advancing laboratory discoveries toward clinical trials.
- A strong publication record and demonstrated ability to manage multiple research projects.
The successful candidate will work closely with Dr. Qiang Li and a multidisciplinary team of basic scientists, urologic oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists, bioinformaticians, and clinical research professionals. The position provides opportunities for scientific independence, manuscript preparation, conference presentations, grant development, mentorship, and career advancement in academic and translational cancer research.
Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a brief statement of research interests and career goals, and contact information for three professional references to Qiang.Li@RoswellPark.org.