Position for PhD holder in Oncobiology

Organisation/Company Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde da Universidade do Porto (i3S) Research Field Medical sciences » Health sciences Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 8 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Lisbon) Country Portugal Type of Contract To be defined Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 24 Sep 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Reference Number https://dozer.i3s.up.pt/fileupload/downloadfile/viewpdfnewta Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description NOTICE OF OPENING OF AN INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR THE SELECTION OF A PhD HOLDER RESEARCHER

Internal code:

Researcher/FCT/i3S/2409/2026

A call is opened for the position of a PhD holder, for an unfixed term work contract to carry out research duties within the project

"PSGL-1 immune checkpoint protein antibody blockade as a strategy to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma" ,with reference 2023.17791.ICDT,funded by national funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P.

Scientific Area: Oncobiology

1. Project summary and work plan

The immune system plays a central role in cancer prevention, progression, and treatment. Despite the success of immune checkpoint blockade therapies in certain cancers, non-Hodgkin lymphomas remain largely resistant to such approaches. This highlights the urgent need for novel immune checkpoint targets. P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1), a glycoprotein implicated in immune regulation and lymphoma pathogenesis, has emerged as a promising candidate.

We showed that PSGL-1 blockade with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) enhances T cell activation, alters the lymphoma immune microenvironment, and improves CAR-T cell efficacy in preclinical models. The SPECIFIC AIMS of this project are: 1) to determine the impact of PSGL-1 blockade on the immunophenotype and transcriptional programs of immune cells infiltrating lymphomas; 2) to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-PSGL-1 therapy alongside existing immunotherapeutic and other therapeutic modalities.

To accomplish AIM 1, we will treat the A20 mouse lymphoma syngeneic model with anti-mouse PSGL-1. The lymphoma microenvironment spatial composition and immune cell activation states will be characterized by advanced techniques. We also plan to determine whether the anti-tumoral effect of PSGL-1 blockade is mediated by T cells, by treating T cell-deficient lymphoma-bearing mice with anti-PSGL-1. To assess the impact of anti-PSGL-1 treatment on T cells infiltrating patients' lymphomas, we will perform autologous co‐cultures with or without anti-PSGL-1 treatment.

To accomplish AIM 2, we will assess the therapeutic value of combining the administration of anti-PSGL-1 with anti‐CD20, which is a standard targeted immunotherapy (rituximab) for B‐cell lymphomas, versus each one alone. Also, we will treat A20 lymphoma mice with anti-PSGL-1 in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, and determine the impact of combination therapy versus each agent alone on lymphoma growth.

Since anthracycline chemotherapeutic drugs can induce immunogenic cell death, we will assess whether doxorubicin treatment combined with anti-PSGL-1 improves the anti‐tumor immune response and reduces tumor growth.

Since radiotherapy was shown to induce immunogenic cell death and its combination with ICB therapy was shown to improve anti‐lymphoma T‐cell responses and tumor regression, we will treat A20 lymphoma-bearing mice with low-dose radiation and anti‐PSGL-1. Multiparameter flow cytometry will be performed to assess how the combination of anti‐PSGL-1 therapy with each therapy improves anti‐lymphoma immune responses.

Decree No. 57/2016, of August 29 – Legal Framework for Scientific Employment (RJEC) – in its current version.

Portuguese Labor Code, in its current wording.

3. Jury

the Jury will be composed of members with expertise and experience related to the scope of the project and, where deemed relevant, members from other research institutions and academic bodies. Each jury member will be requested to read the submitted dossiers and provide an objective assessment of the candidate's academic profile and research experience, the alignment of the candidate's research interests with the goals and objectives described in the statement, as well as the value that the research profile brings to i3S.

the Jury will be composed of members with expertise and experience related to the scope of the project and, where deemed relevant, members from other research institutions and academic bodies. Each jury member will be requested to read the submitted dossiers and provide an objective assessment of the candidate's academic profile and research experience, the alignment of the candidate's research interests with the goals and obj