The Laboratory of Giuliana Pelicci at the European Institute of Oncology (IEO) in Milan, Italy, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in the field of precision oncology for glioblastoma. The position is fully funded by the FRRB Call 2024 “FROM BED TO BENCH: THE WAY TO INNOVATION”, within the project: “Advancing Glioblastoma Treatment: the combination of Omics, Drug Screening, Liquid Biopsy, and Artificial Intelligence for Precision Oncology (GLIO-Screen)”.
The fellowship will support cutting-edge translational research aimed at developing innovative and personalized therapeutic strategies for glioblastoma, the most aggressive and common malignant brain tumor.
The position will be available from February 2026 (flexible start date). Salary will be commensurate on professional experience
Project Overview:
Glioblastoma (GBM) is among the most lethal human cancers, marked by extreme heterogeneity and poor prognosis. Despite decades of research, current treatments remain largely ineffective, and patient survival rarely exceeds two years. A major barrier to clinical progress lies in the challenge of identifying robust, actionable molecular targets within such a diverse and evolving disease landscape.
To address this, our team has developed an advanced drug screening (ADS) platform that leverages patient-derived preclinical models, including both in vitro cultures and in vivo systems. This platform enables systematic evaluation of therapeutic responses and resistance mechanisms.
The ADS approach is complemented by multi-omics analyses, encompassing genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic profiling, to uncover the molecular determinants of GBM heterogeneity and treatment resistance.
Together, these integrated methodologies aim to accelerate the translation of personalized medicine into effective therapeutic interventions for GBM patients.
Selected papers:
- Metabolic traits shape responses to LSD1-directed therapy in glioblastoma tumor-initiating cells. Marotta G, et al., Sci Adv. 2025 May 23;11(21) PMID: 40408499.
- Genome-wide profiling of patient-derived glioblastoma stem-like cells reveals recurrent genetic and transcriptomic signatures associated with brain tumors. Lazzarini E, et al., J Neurooncol. 2023 May;163(1) PMID:
- LSD1-directed therapy affects glioblastoma tumorigenicity by deregulating the protective ATF4-dependent integrated stress response. Faletti S, et al., Sci Transl Med. 2021 Dec 8;13(623) PMID:
- Extracellular vesicles: The key for precision medicine in glioblastoma. Del Bene M, et al.,Neuro Oncol. 2022 Feb 1;24(2) PMID:
- Clinical Significance of Extracellular Vesicles in Plasma from Glioblastoma Patients. Osti D, et al., Clin Cancer Res. 2019 Jan 1;25(1) PMID: 30287549.
- Mutations targeting the coagulation pathway are enriched in brain metastases. Richichi C, et al., Sci Rep. 2017 Jul 26;7(1) PMID:
- Tumor-initiating cell frequency is relevant for glioblastoma aggressiveness. Richichi C, et al., 2016 Nov 1;7(44) PMID: 27582543.
Responsibilities:
The selected postdoctoral fellow will be responsible for:
- Establishing and molecularly characterizing patient-derived glioblastoma models (in vitro and in vivo);
- Applying and optimizing the advanced drug screening workflow;
- Generating, analyzing, and interpreting multi-omics datasets (genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic);
- Contributing to data integration and translational interpretation within a multidisciplinary research team.
Candidate Profile:
We are seeking a highly motivated, independent, and collaborative researcher with:
- MA degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Pharmacology, Veterinary, Medicine or relative disciplines awarded by an Italian university or a title obtained abroad which has been recognized as equivalent to the Italian degree;
- PhD in Biology, Biotechnology, Oncology, Genetics, Pharmacology, Molecular Medicine or relative disciplines;
- a strong background in stem cell biology, molecular biology, cancer biology, or related fields;
- demonstrated experience in multi-omics approaches, particularly transcriptomic and epigenomic dataset analysis and interpretation (considered a significant asset).
- a solid publication record, including at least one first-author paper in medium/high-impact peer-reviewed journals;
- strong communication skills and the ability to work in an interdisciplinary and international environment.
Processing personal data:
The personal data, compulsorily provided, will be processed in compliance with Legislative Decree no. 101 of 10 August 2018, which adapts the Personal Data Protection Code (Legislative Decree no. 196 of 30 June 2003) to the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, and only for the fulfilments related to this procedure and for those consequent to the possible establishment of the working relationship, according to what is also provided for in the privacy policy, which must be accepted by each candidate at the time of sending his/her application.
Equal opportunities:
This notice is issued in compliance with equal opportunities between men and women for access to employment (L. 903/77) and economic treatment, pursuant to Legislative Decree no. 198/2006.
To apply, please send your CV, a short description of research interests and two letters of recommendation through the appropriate link.
Posted on 22nd December 2026