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A postdoctoral fellow position is available in Experimental Radiation Oncology. This position is available to highly motivated candidates with a background in cancer research, molecular or cellular biology, immunology, or tumor microenvironment studies. Projects will focus on prostate cancer genetics and biology, with a special interest in crosstalk between cancer cells and immune components in the tumor microenvironment and metastatic niche.
All duties and responsibilities are carried out in compliance with institutional policies, ethical research standards, and applicable federal and state regulations.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The postdoctoral fellow will have the opportunity to perform various projects through wet laboratory benchwork. The knowledge gained will allow them to contribute to seminars, presentations and publications. In addition, they will learn scientific writing and management skills.
The research directions include 1) characterizing the genetic events that drive prostate cancer development, metastatic progression, and therapy resistance; 2) identifying genetic determinants that reshape the tumor microenvironment and metastatic niche; 3) developing biomarker-driven immunotherapies and combinatorial strategies for precision cancer medicine.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
A Ph.D. degree in Cancer Biology, Molecular Biology, Immunology, or equivalent is required.
Applicants with a strong publication record and relevant research experience in oncogenic signaling, tumor microenvironment, immunology, and computational biology are preferred. We highly value hard work, curiosity, innovation, teamwork, and professional development, all of which are combined with a healthy work-life balance. The postdoc candidate is expected to join the lab in 2026.
ADDITIONAL APPLICATION INFORMATION
Dr. Zhao's faculty profile page: https://faculty.mdanderson.org/profiles/di_zhao.html
Zhao Lab Website: https://www.mdanderson.org/research/departments-labs-institutes/labs/zhao-laboratory.html
Please send CV, a cover letter stating research interests and career goals, and names and contact information of three references to:
Di Zhao, PhD
Email: dzhao2@mdanderson.org
Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
6565 MD Anderson Blvd Unit 1052, Houston, TX 77030
The Principal Investigator of our laboratory is Dr. Di Zhao, Associate Professor in the Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her highly productive doctoral and postdoctoral research led to several first-author research articles in Cancer Cell (2013), JCI (2014), Nature (2017), and Cancer Discovery (2020). In 2019, Dr. Zhao started her independent laboratory at MD Anderson. Combining state-of-the-art genetically engineered mouse modeling systems and single-cell multi-omics, her team has successfully characterized several genetic and epigenetic determinants that drive prostate cancer progression, tumor microenvironment remodeling, and resistance to therapies, which were published in Nature Cancer (2025), Science Translational Medicine (2023), Nature Communications (2026 & 2025), Cancer Research (2022), and Oncogene (2026). Dr. Zhao has received numerous awards and grants, including the K99/R00 Award, CPRIT Recruitment Award, NIH/NCI R01s, Prostate Cancer Foundation Challenge Award, and DoD Prostate Cancer Idea Development Award, among others.
POSITION INFORMATION
MD Anderson offers full-time postdoc positions with a salary ranging from $64,000 to $76,000. depending on the number of years of postgraduate experience. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, paid time off, retirement, tuition benefits, educational opportunities, and individual and team recognition
Offsite work arrangements are subject to approval and may be modified or revoked at any time based on business needs, performance considerations, or regulatory requirements.
This position may be responsible for maintaining the security and integrity of critical infrastructure, as defined in Section 113.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code and therefore may require routine reviews and screening. The ability to satisfy and maintain all requirements necessary to ensure the continued security and integrity of such infrastructure is a condition of hire and continued employment.
It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. http://www.mdanderson.org/about-us/legal-and-policy/legal-statements/eeo-affirmative-action.html