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The University of Kansas Health System and The University of Kansas Cancer Center, are seeking a Scientist in Immune Effector Cell Therapy to join the Division of Hematologic Malignancies & Cellular Therapeutics.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center (KUCC) is the only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the region, serving patients across Kansas and western Missouri. The program includes the regions largest Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy program, providing a strong clinical and translational platform for innovative immune effector cell research.

The selected candidate will benefit from exceptional institutional resources, including a new state-of-the-art cancer center currently under construction to support cutting-edge research and multidisciplinary care. This full-time, research-track faculty position offers academic rank commensurate with experience, competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, dedicated start-up support, and access to institutional core facilities within a highly collaborative campus environment.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of cancer immunotherapy by driving translational research at the interface of discovery science, preclinical development, and early-phase clinical trials. The successful candidate will contribute to next-generation immune effector strategies, including CAR-T and CAR-NK therapies, engineered macrophages/monocytes, and combination immunotherapies for hematologic and solid tumors.

 Key Responsibilities:

• Establish an innovative and externally funded research program.
• Design, lead and execute translational studies in immune-effector cell therapy (e.g., CAR constructs, BiTEs, armored cells, logic-gated circuits) that enable generation of patentable IEC intellectual property.
• Recruit additional faculty to expand research within the IEC program.
• Design and oversee in vitro functional assays (killing, cytokine profiling, spectral flow, scRNA-seq/CITE-seq) and in vivo preclinical efficacy/toxicity models.
• Collaborate with KUCCs cGMP manufacturing, the Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation (IAMI), Clinical Trials Office, Pathology, and Biostatistics to advance First-in-Human, enabling investigational new drug submissions to FDA and lead/participate in IEC early phase clinical trials.
• Develop and validate analytical/quality assays (potency, identity, vector copy number, sterility/mycoplasma, off-target/tropism assessments).
• Contribute to the preparation of regulatory documentation (IACUC/IRB, Biosafety, IND/IDE modules), study protocols, and clinical correlative science plans.
• Mentor trainees (graduate students, residents, postdocs and fellows) as well as junior faculty and coordinate cross-functional project teams.
• Disseminate results via manuscripts, conference abstracts, and grant applications (NIH, LLS, foundations).

 Qualifications:

• MD, DO, MD/PhD, or PhD in Immunology, Hematology/Oncology; Cancer Biology, Bioengineering, or related field
• 25 years post-degree research experience in immune-effector cell therapy or closely related area
• Hands-on expertise in cell engineering (viral/non-viral delivery; CRISPR or equivalent), primary T/NK cell culture, and functional immunology assays
• Previous extramural funding: i.e., K award, R21, DOD
• Demonstrated track record of impactful publications and team-based science

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with CAR/TCR design, multiplex editing, payload/armoring strategies (e.g., IL-15, TGF-?-DN), or innate cell engineering (CAR-macrophage)
• Familiarity with GMP principles, release testing, and tech transfer to manufacturing
• Experience with glial/solid tumor models and strategies to overcome antigen heterogeneity/immune suppression
• Comfort with bioinformatics for single cell/NGS datasets and correlative biomarker discovery
• Prior participation in IND-enabling or early-phase clinical translation

Environment & Resources
KUCC offers integrated cGMP cell manufacturing, AAALAC-accredited vivaria, advanced cytometry (spectral flow, CyTOF), imaging cores, and biostatistics/bioinformatics support. The Division partners closely with clinical programs in hematologic malignancies and cellular therapeutics and IAMI to generate IEC discoveries and with the GMP lab, to accelerate bedside-to-bench-to-bedside translation.

 Benefits and compensation 

• Recent increase in overall compensation package
• Comprehensive retirement program
• Relocation assistance
• Health, dental, vision insurance with coverage day one
• CME allowance
• LTD/STD and Life insurance
• Professional liability insurance 

About The University of Kansas Cancer Center

The University of Kansas Cancer Center (KUCC) is the only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the region, serving patients across Kansas and western Missouri. Our program includes the regions largest Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy program, offering a robust clinical platform to support innovative translational research.

The cancer centers Hematologic Malignancies & Cellular Therapeutics (HMCT) division is the regions largest and among the first in the nation to provide all FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapies. We perform more than 450 transplants annually. Our team is leading multiple efforts to advance novel immunotherapies, including a national effort for a new Phase 1 IND manufacturing a novel CD19/20/22 (NCT06879340).

Our new state-of-the-art facility, which will open early 2028, is purposefully designed to co-locate teams to promote collaboration. This significant investment includes a GMP manufacturing facility to advance cell and gene therapy innovation. With a robust infrastructure for rapid trial activation, data management and regulatory compliance, KUCC drives breakthroughs from bench to bedside. Through collaboration and patient-centered care, we are shaping the future of cancer treatment.

For more information contact:

Darci Deskin, Senior Physician Recruiter

DDeskin@kumc.edu

(913) 951-7748 cell