Postdoctoral fellow on harmonising the manufacture of ATMPs within Europe

Job description

Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) are new medicines that are based on genes, cells and tissues that sustainably improve or even cure diseases that currently have no or inadequate standard-of-care treatments. To ensure safe, efficient and equitable access of these ATMPs to patients within Europe, it is critical to accelerate and de-risk development and advocate wide-spread availability of such ATMPs.

JOIN4ATMP is an EU Horizon-awarded project, that maps, joins and drives European activities to develop and implement the use of ATMPs to the benefit of patients and society. This project brings together top-level ATMP researchers, producers, and clinicians from 14 partners, joining all members of the European University Hospital Alliance (EUHA), and other networks and universities within Europe. Join4ATMP has three clear focus areas, namely: (i) categorizing obstacles to ATMP progress; (ii) mapping potential solutions based on real-world use cases; and (iii) designing actionable recommendations. At Erasmus MC, we will lead standardized Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-conform ATMP production. Specifically, the research candidate will: map regulatory criteria as well as organizational and infrastructural requirements for ATMP manufacture; chart guidelines for pharmaceutical-grade raw materials; design criteria for a dynamic regulatory framework as well as work towards a blueprint for an EU-wide GMP unit coordination platform. For more information, please see here.

For this project, we are recruiting a postdoctoral fellow. The candidate will team up with researchers and clinicians at the departments of Medical Oncology and Hematology as well as specialists at the ATMP facility of Erasmus MC. Also, the candidate will work closely together with a large international team of fellow researchers and experts. In addition, the candidate is involved in interviewing stakeholders, compiling (pre-)clinical datasets, writing of scientific publications as well as disseminating findings during meetings and conferences.

Work environment

The Department of Medical Oncology has a long-standing tradition in clinical and translational cancer research. The research activities of our department are organized into 5 different divisions: Translational Cancer Genomics and Proteomics, Translational Pharmacology; Translational Onco-Immunology; Clinical Trials; and Palliative and Supportive Care.

Research at the laboratory of Tumor Immunology (Division of Translational Onco-Immunology) is involved in the following activities towards new or ongoing patient studies: develop and test T cell treatments; understand and intervene with cross-talk between tumor cells and micro-environment; and immune monitor T cell phenotype and function. See here for more details.

Qualifications and skills

• You have obtained your PhD in the field of biology, HTA and/or regulatory affairs, and preferably have background in ATMPs.
• You are highly motivated to perform research, take initiatives, communicate easily and cooperate in a team of researchers.
• You are able to coordinate research and write and present your research findings.

Before you apply please check our conditions for employment.

Terms of employment

• You will receive a contract for 3 years.
• The gross monthly salary amounts a maximum of € 5.292,-, depending on your level of education and relevant experience, based on a full-time working week of 36 hours.
• Excellent fringe benefits, such as a 13th month that is already paid out in November and a personal travel budget.
• Pension insurance with ABP. The employer covers approximately 2/3 of the monthly contribution.
• Special benefits, such as a physiotherapist and a company bicycle repairer. And there is also a sports club where you can work on your fitness after work.

More information

If you are excited by the thought of this position and would like to apply, please do so by using the application form on our website.

For more information about this position, please contact Prof. dr. Reno Debets, Chair of Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, 010 704 17 18.

No agencies please.