Scientist in Preclinical Cancer Models - Mol, Flemish Region

Job summary

The Radiobiology Unit, in the Nuclear Medical Applications Institute, at SCK CEN offers a dynamic and collaborative setting at the forefront of cancer therapy research. Our team of scientists, technicians and PhD students investigates how ionizing radiation from therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals interacts with cancer, aiming to optimize the efficacy and safety of targeted radionuclide therapies. Research spans preclinical cancer models, therapeutic efficacy, and radiobiological assessments.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and characterize in vivo cancer models (xenograft, orthotopic, syngeneic, metastatic) to support radiopharmaceutical evaluation
• Investigate molecular and cellular mechanisms of targeted radionuclide therapies, including tumor microenvironment modulation and radiobiological responses
• Conduct histology and tissue-level analyses, including immunohistochemistry, autoradiography, and digital pathology, to assess radiopharmaceutical distribution and biological effects
• Contribute to radiopharmaceutical assays to elucidate mechanisms of action and therapeutic effects
• Operate and apply specialized research platforms (microscopy, pathology systems, autoradiography) for tissue characterization
• Acquire, analyze, and report experimental data in line with project milestones; troubleshoot and refine methodologies when required
• Contribute to funding applications, project budget planning, ethical dossiers, peer-reviewed publications, and scientific presentations
• Support daily laboratory operations, including histology workflows, tissue preparation, and assay optimization
• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to strengthen preclinical radiopharmaceutical research
• Ensure strict compliance with animal welfare legislation, biosafety protocols, radiation protection rules, and ethical requirements

Functieomschrijving