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Introduction to the Institute
Institute of Modern Biology, Nanjing University; IMB), founded in July 2020, is located in Nanjing, the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties. The Modern Biology Institute focuses on the frontier basic research of innovative biomedicine, encourages and supports pioneering and systematic scientific exploration, and strives to become an international first-class biomedical research center with a number of internationally recognized academic authorities and a "scholar-type research environment".
Introduction to PI
'Gracie' Chang Liu, IMB Tenure-track Assistant Professor, Principal Investigator, Doctoral Supervisor (to be announced). He graduated from the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (SIBCB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2011 with a Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology. In 2013, he joined the laboratory of Professor Dr. Dario A. A. Vignali, an internationally renowned T cell biologist, and successively served as Postdoctoral Associate (2013~2014), Research Associate (2014~2019) and Research Scientist (2019~2021), and has long been committed to the study of tumor immune response mechanism.
Major research directions and achievements include:
Cellular molecular mechanisms of tumor microenvironment and immune escape. For the first time, it was revealed that regulatory CD4+ T cells play a central role in tumor immune escape, relying on their precise targeting of anti-tumor CD8+ T lymphocytes and tumor-associated macrophages, demonstrating that intervening fatty acid metabolism pathways relieves tumor-associated macrophages from inhibition of killer CD8+ T cells, thereby enhancing the mechanism of action of "immune checkpoint" inhibitors in the treatment of tumors (Liu et al., Immunity2019).
Tumor-specific immune memory mechanism mediated by CD8+ T cells. The mechanism of the cell surface receptor protein Neuropilin-1 modulation of CD8+ T lymphocyte-mediated tumor-specific immune memory was elucidated. The concept of "memory checkpoints" was proposed for the first time in the world, and it was revealed that they can be used as novel targets in tumor immunotherapy. In order to prevent tumor recurrence, radical treatment of tumors has opened up new ideas (Liu et al. Nat. Immunol.2020)。 The work was reviewed by Harvard colleague Professor Ana C. Anderson in an article written in the international journal of immunology Nature Immunology. In addition, he has participated in several collaborations, and his research work is published in Cell Report Medicine 2021. Sci. Immunol.2020; Nat. Immunol.2018), a review published in Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer2020; FEBS J2016）。 Received the Young Investigator Award (2019) from the American Society for Immunotherapy oncology (SITC) and served as a reviewer for The Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer and Frontier Immunol.
Research Directions
The laboratory will focus on revealing the basic principles that regulate tumor-specific immune memory formation, and in-depth elucidating the molecular cellular mechanisms of key phenomena such as tumor recurrence/tumor metastasis/host response to immunotherapy heterogeneity in the clinic, so as to guide the development of new drugs and reveal optimized treatment options or new drug targets. A range of research topics have been carried out around this theme, including
1. Molecular mechanisms by which key receptor proteins or transcription factors regulate tumor-specific long-term immunity;
2. Regulation of long-term tumor immunity by tumor microenvironment;
3. Systematic screening of "Memory Checkpoints" at different cellular and molecular levels in vivo;
4. Cell origin and fate decisions mediated in vivo for tumor-specific immune memory.
The laboratory will rely on the world-class scientific research platform of the Modern Institute of Biology, comprehensively use a variety of cutting-edge research methods including mouse tumor models, establish novel in vivo genetic regulation or cell fate tracing models, CRISPR/Cas9 screening in vivo, multi-omics research and cell signal transduction.
Scientific research culture
The laboratory invites young scholars who are interested in molecular cellular immunology (T cell and tumor immunity priority but not limited), as well as original and mechanistic research. We aim to create a Scholarly research atmosphere that encourages independent thinking, discovery of innovation, and is rigorous and realistic.
Work with us but work for your own dream as a scientist. We hope to meet you here!
Recruitment position 1: Postdoctoral/Associate Researcher
Job requirements and application conditions
1. Postdoctoral candidates should have obtained or are about to obtain a doctoral degree in the field of life sciences, have a research background in immunology/molecular cell biology/biochemistry/gene editing/cell signal transduction; have received good scientific training during the doctoral period and published influential papers in important international journals as the first author;
2. Associate researcher candidates should have postdoctoral research experience in immunology/molecular cell biology (gene editing and bioinformatics related research experience is preferred), and publish influential papers in the field in important international journals of the corresponding research direction as the first author;
3. Love scientific research, rigorous work, have the ability to independently carry out scientific research and good experimental operation ability, and have good English listening, speaking, reading and writing skills;
4. Have the ability to independently apply for funds and participate in the project application of the laboratory;
5. Good at communication and communication, full of teamwork spirit.
Compensation and benefits
1. Salary:
Postdoctoral starting salary 25W, especially outstanding, one matter at a time, actively support and recommend applications for various funds and postdoctoral projects;
Associate researchers start at 30W, especially excellent, one matter at a time, school positions. Actively support and recommend applications for various fund projects;
2. The personnel, insurance, welfare, etc. of the hired personnel shall be implemented with reference to the relevant provisions of the state for public institutions and the relevant rules and regulations of Nanjing University;
3. Bohou apartment, housing subsidy;
4. Enjoy the same welfare benefits of the school staff.
How to apply
Candidates should send the following application materials to the email [email protected], the email type should be marked "Postdoc/Research Assistant Professor Application- Name-IMB/Liu Lab"
1. Curriculum Vitae in English, with relevant degree certificates (chinese and English are not limited);
2. Cover Letter in English;
3. For associate researchers, it is encouraged to attach a brief English research plan (Research Plan), no more than 2 pages A4;
Application materials will be kept strictly confidential and will not be returned. For those who pass the preliminary review, we will arrange an interview as soon as possible. This recruitment information is valid for a long time from the date of publication.
Recruitment position 2: Research Assistant/Experimental Technician
Job requirements and tasks
1. Master degree in biology, with research background in molecular cell biology or immunology, and experience in experimental mouse management and operation;
2. Have enthusiasm for scientific research and good experimental operation ability, and have good English reading and writing skills;
3. Good at communication and communication, full of teamwork spirit.
Job treatment
1. Salary: 6000 ~ 8000 RMB; especially excellent people discuss each matter;
2. The personnel, wages, insurance, welfare, etc. of the hired personnel shall be implemented with reference to the relevant provisions of the state for public institutions and the relevant rules and regulations of Nanjing University.
Recruitment position 3: Scientific research secretary
1. Bachelor's degree or above in biology-related majors, undergraduate students must have two years of laboratory work experience; laboratory management experience is preferred.
2. Have a sense of responsibility, meticulous and serious work, good at communication and exchange, positive and optimistic attitude, and have good organizational and coordination skills and teamwork spirit; have good Chinese and English dictation skills, and be proficient in using office-related software;
3. Mainly responsible for the procurement of laboratory instruments and equipment, commonly used reagent consumables and daily management of the laboratory; participate in the declaration and management of scientific research funds, responsible for financial reimbursement, and participate in the management of graduate students; contact with various administrative functional departments to assist in the implementation of various rules and regulations; and complete other matters assigned by the research team leader.
The employer shall choose the form of dispatch or contracting to work in the hired position according to the situation of the personnel to be hired. According to local regulations and the basic situation of the candidates, provide competitive salary treatment, and the salary standard is implemented in accordance with the "Nanjing University Salary Implementation Plan for Non-recruited Personnel (Trial)".
How to register
Application materials will be kept strictly confidential and will not be returned. For those who pass the preliminary review, we will arrange an interview as soon as possible.
Representative papers
1. Liu C, Somasundaram A, Manne S, Gocher AM, Szymczak-Workman AL, Vignali KM, Normolle DP, Ferris RL, Bruno TC, Wherry EJ, Workman CJ, Vignali DAA, Neuropilin-1 is a T cell memory checkpoint limiting long-term anti-tumor immunity.Nat. Immunol.21, 1010–1021 (2020)
*Highlighted by Acharya N & Anderson A C in News and Views, Nat. Immunol. 21, 972–973 (2020)
2. Chuckran CA*, Liu C*, Bruno TC, Workman CJ, Vignali DAA. Neuropilin-1: a checkpoint target with unique implications for cancer immunology and immunotherapy. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer2020;8: e000967 * Equal contribution). Review
3. Liu C, Chikina M, Deshpande R, Menk, AV, Wang T, Tabib T, Brunazzi, EA, Vignali KM, Sun M, Stolz DB, Lafyatis RA, Chen W, Delgoffe GM, Workman CJ, Wendell SG, and Vignali, DA. Treg cells promote the SREBP1-dependent metabolic fitness of tumor-promoting macrophages via repression of CD8+ T cell-derived Interferon-γ.Immunity, 51 (2), 381-397.e6 (2019)
4. Andrews, LP., Somasundaram A, Moskovitz JM, Szymczak-Workman AL, Liu C, Cillo AR, Lin H, Normolle DP, Moynihan KD, Taniuchi I, Irvine DJ , Kirkwood JM , Lipson EJ, Ferris RL, Bruno TC , Workman CJ and Vignali DAA. Resistance to PD1 blockade in the absence of metalloprotease-mediated LAG3 shedding.Sci. Immunol.5 (49), eabc2728 (2020)
5. Sawant DV, Yano H, Chikina M, Zhang Q, Liao M, Liu C, Callahan DJ, Sun Z, Sun T, Tabib T, Pennathur A, Corry DB, Luketich JD, Lafyatis R, Chen W, Poholek AC, Bruno TC, Workman CJ, Vignali DAA. Adaptive plasticity of IL-10+ and IL-35+ Treg cells cooperatively promotes tumor T cell exhaustion.Nat. Immunol.20, 724–735 (2019)
6. Liu C, Workman CJ, Vignali DA. Targeting Regulatory T Cells in Tumors.FEBS J.283(14): 2731-48 (2016) Review
7. Du C*, Liu C*, Kang J, Zhao G, Ye Z, Huang S, Li Z, Wu Z, Pei G. MicroRNA miR-326 regulates TH-17 differentiation and is associated with the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. Nat Immunol.10:1252-9 (2009). (*Equal contribution)
8. Shi Y, Feng Y, Kang J, Liu C, Li Z, Li D, Cao W, Qiu J, Guo Z, Bi E, Zang L, Lu C, Zhang JZ, Pei G. Critical regulation of CD4+ T cell survival and autoimmunity by b-arrestin 1.Nat Immunol.8:817-24 (2007).
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