Postdoctoral Scholar

Department Overview

Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR) center is a collaborative institution within the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. The Knight Cancer Institute, known as one of the pioneers in personalized cancer medicine, is an international leader in research and cancer treatment. At CEDAR our mission is to detect and stop lethal cancers at the earliest stage because early detection saves lives. This is an ambitious goal, one that requires novelty, creativity, and innovation. We are composed of biologists, chemists, biomedical engineers, computational biologists, and clinicians conducting groundbreaking translational cancer research to help people maintain a high quality of life and reduce cancer mortality, to create a global early detection community, and to have a positive impact on the Oregon economy.

 

CEDAR is committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community. We at CEDAR are dedicated to promoting inclusion and multiculturalism to build a successful organization by having outstanding researchers of diverse backgrounds work together on multiple projects. We encourage high-risk, high-reward research projects because defeating cancer requires unproven, out-of-the-box thinking. Our research is milestone driven to ensure that each project is fulfilling its stated goals.

 

Every Knight Cancer employee is expected to embody our guiding principles:

• We act BOLDLY—Breakthroughs require pushing the boundaries of science, exploring new frontiers, and thinking differently
• We SUPPORT each other—Respect leads to trust, which leads to excellence
• We work as a CONNECTED team—We must leverage our collective brain power to conquer cancer because no one individual can do it alone

Function/Duties of Position

The Eksi Lab at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is seeking a highly motivated and creative postdoctoral fellow with expertise in cancer biology, neurobiology, or neuroimmunology. Our research focuses on how sympathetic nerve signaling remodels the tumor microenvironment to drive cancer progression, with emphasis on prostate and pancreatic cancers. We are particularly interested in the bidirectional communication between tumor-innervating neurons, cancer cells, and immune populations such as mast cells.

 

Our lab integrates spatial proteomics, single-cell transcriptomics, and epigenomics, and advanced 3D ex vivo and in vivo mouse models to dissect neural regulation of cancer. We are specifically seeking candidates with a strong background in ex vivo and in vivo cancer models, including experience in mammalian cell culture, imaging techniques, and a deep interest in uncovering cancer-nerve interactions, whether from a neuroscience or cancer biology perspective. Scientific curiosity and the ability to work across disciplines are essential.

 

Select references:

• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10555-025-10241-x
• https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(24)01893-5
• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-27615-8
• https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(24)17240-4
• https://www.eu-focus.europeanurology.com/article/S2405-4569(23)00077-9/fulltext
• https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/lc/d5lc00134j
• https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.06.626879v2 (accepted to Cell Reports Methods)

Required Qualifications

• M.D., M.D./Ph.D., or Ph.D.
• Minimum of 3 years as a graduate student
• Specialty: Molecular Biology, cell biology, genome sciences, epigenomics, or related field
• Excellent communication, analytical and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team while being collaborative in resolving problems
• Passion for science and inquiry
• Ability to synthesize one’s own results and others to formulate hypotheses
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks at one time
• Must possess energy and drive to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to maintain effective working relationships

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to synthesize scientific projects and communicate science to diverse audiences
• Experience with cell culture
• Experience with microscopy
• Experience with NGS
• Experience with data analysis
• Experience with patient sample processing
• Oncology experience

Additional Details

Apply online. Please be sure to upload a Cover Letter and Resume/CV.

 

We offer a variety of benefits on top of joining a thriving organization:

• Medical, dental and vision coverage at no or low cost to employees
  • Covered 100% for full-time employees and 88% for dependents
• Several retirement plans to choose from with contributions from OHSU
• 80 hours of vacation time per year
• 96 hours of sick leave a year (prorated for part-time employees)
• Commuter subsidies
• Tuition reimbursement
• Access to group life insurance, disability insurance and other supplemental benefits
• Annual Raises
• Growth/Development Opportunities
• Employee discounts to local and major businesses

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Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact askhr@ohsu.edu