Professor in cancer immunobiology

The Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and the VIB Center for Cancer Biology (VIB CCB) are recruiting a professor/group leader in Cancer Biology with a research focus on the cross talk between cancer cells and their tumor microenvironment.

KU Leuven is the largest and oldest university in Belgium (founded in 1425). It is a leading academic institution in Europe and its mission is to achieve excellent academic education and research. The KU Leuven department of Oncology unites basic and clinical cancer researchers at KU Leuven and the University Hospitals Leuven (UZ Leuven), one of the largest hospitals in Belgium. By creating a strong link between "bed" and "bench", our researchers aim at unraveling crucial mechanisms that underlie cancer initiation, progression and at developing innovative cancer treatments. In particular, we ambition to contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying intratumor heterogeneity, its dynamics during progression & therapy response and its complex interaction with the tumor micro-environment. The Department of Oncology is also engaging into education and fulfills a crucial role in the training of clinicians and cancer researchers. The research facilities are located on Campus Gasthuisberg, which is the home of the health science faculties of the KU Leuven, and the academic hospital (UZ Leuven). UZ Leuven is the largest hospital in Belgium and one of the largest in Europe, and is strongly committed to excellence in clinical care and medical research. The campus offers researchers an excellent environment for fundamental and translational research. To complete our already broad range of expertise, we now wish to recruit an additional expert in Cancer Biology.

VIB is an entrepreneurial and vibrant non-profit research institute in Flanders-Belgium with a clear focus on groundbreaking research in life sciences. More than 1500 scientists and technologists from over 60 countries are working in 9 thematic research centers located at 4

Flemish Universities (Ghent, Leuven, Antwerp & Brussels) and are studying the broad spectrum of molecular mechanisms that regulate the functions of the human body. VIB encourages and supports risk taking, and enables collaborations with top scientists and institutes world-wide. By maintaining the highest standards of research, VIB creates an innovative atmosphere and provides a supportive and collegial environment that allows the scientists to launch novel and ambitious research programs and encourages them to translate results into novel therapeutics, diagnostics, applications and technologies.

The VIB Center for Cancer Biology (CCB) currently hosts more than 200 scientists in 14 independent research groups and units who work on various hallmarks of tumors and their microenvironment including angiogenesis, inflammation, metabolism, genetic, epigenetic regulating circuits and cancer immunology. Together we share the ambition to contribute to the better understanding of the biology that underlies cancer initiation, progression and metastatic dissemination with the ultimate goal to develop more effective and specific anti-cancer (combination) therapies.

Selection is done by both the Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and the VIB Center Cancer Biology (CCB). Thus, the successful candidate must be ranked favorably by both Oncology and CCB.

Unit website

Research

You will lead a ground-breaking scientific program addressing basic research questions with a pronounced translational potential. You have a collaborative mindset that will allow you to build bridges between existing research groups at VIB and KU Leuven, as well as with other academic centers and the industry. You will focus on novel omics technologies with a research-specific focus on oncology and an unmet patient need.

We are particularly interested in researchers working on the cross-talk between tumors and the innate and adaptive immune system. Ideally, the candidate will develop innovative reductionist (i.e. 3D tumoroid models) approaches and unique in vivo models (i.e. mouse

genetics, in vivo lineage tracing, PDXs,…) to gain novel mechanistic insights and directly test the clinical relevance of the findings using human clinical samples.

A dedicated focus on a specific cancer indication and/or underlying biological process (metastatic dissemination, lymph node involvement, circulating tumor cells or specific tumor & micro-environment interactions, etc. is considered a plus.

Teaching

The candidate will be appointed to the Faculty of Medicine and is expected to take up teaching assignments (in English or in Dutch) in this or other faculties.

You will provide high-quality teaching, with a clear commitment to the quality of the program as a whole. You will also contribute to the university's pedagogical project by supervising MSc theses and as supervisor of PhD students.

Service

You provide scientific, social, and internal services that contribute to KU Leuven's reputation.

Profile

• You have obtained a PhD degree in the field of the (Bio-) Medical Sciences or another field that provides excellent preparation for the requested research program.
• You have a strong research profile within the aforementioned research domains and the quality of your research is proven by publications in international leading journals and conferences.
• You have an interest in outreach and broadly contributing to an exciting scientific environment.
• You have an interdisciplinary mindset and your are keen on collaborating broadly in the center, the department, and the university.
• You possess organizational skills and have a collaborative attitude. You also possess leadership capacities.
• You have international research experience.
• The successful candidate must also be selected as VIB group leader at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology.
• Proficiency in English is required.
• The official language used at KU Leuven is Dutch. If you do not speak Dutch (or do not speak it well) at the start of employment, KU Leuven will provide language training to enable you to take part in meetings. Before teaching courses in Dutch or English, you will be given the opportunity to learn Dutch, respectively English, to the required standard.

Offer

• A challenging position as an assistant professor in a supportive and international research environment with committed peers (this includes a mentoring program and a Group Leader coaching track).
• An employment package that is internationally attractive and that is independent of research funding and grants, with excellent healthcare benefits.
• Access to excellent and staffed core facilities at CCB, at VIB and at KU Leuven.
• Broad administrative support in finance, HR, logistics, operations & regulatory affairs.
• Collaborative atmosphere with clinicians from the University Hospital UZ Leuven located on the same campus.
• Assistance with daily life issues such as relocation including visa application (if necessary), move & housing, school & day care.
• This position is linked to a group leader position at the VIB Center for Cancer Biology. Applying candidates must have passed the CCB selection procedure.
• A professorship at KU Leuven implies that you obtain a CEFR level B2 certificate in the Dutch language within the first five years of your employment. KU Leuven and VIB provide language training facilities that will support you with this.

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Paul Clement, mail: paul.clement@kuleuven.be or Prof. dr. Diether Lambrechts, mail: diether.lambrechts@kuleuven.be. For problems with online applying, please contact solliciteren@kuleuven.be.

Please add the following attachments to your application

• Motivation letter

• Complete CV with publication list

• Biosketch highlighting your added value for Oncology, VIB CCB and the Biomedical group (max 3 pages).

• Your vision on education at KU Leuven (max 1 page)

• Contact details of 3 references

KU Leuven places great importance on research integrity and ethical conduct and will therefore ask you to sign an integrity statement upon appointment.

You can apply for this job no later than November 06, 2026 via the online application tool

KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.

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