Assistant Research Professor – Brain Tumor Immunology and Therapeutic Delivery
Join the forefront of groundbreaking research at City of Hope where we're changing lives and making a real difference in the fight against cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening illnesses. Our dedicated and compassionate faculty and staff are driven by a common mission\: Contribute to innovative approaches in predicting, preventing, and curing diseases, shaping the future of medicine through cutting-edge research.
The laboratory of Dr. Behnam Badie has an opportunity to join his team as an Assistant Research Professor. Dr. Badie is a physician‑scientist and neurosurgeon who leads a highly translational research program focused on immunology, neuroinflammation, and therapeutic innovation for malignant brain tumors.
As a successful candidate, you will\:
Investigate the role of myeloid-derived cells, neuroinflammation, and tumor-immune interactions in malignant brain tumor progression and therapeutic resistance.
Identify therapeutic opportunities through Receptor for Advanced Glycation End products (RAGE) pathway targeting, gene regulation, and evaluation of novel small-molecule RAGE inhibitors in preclinical models.
Develop and optimize cell-penetrating oligonucleotides, including siRNA and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), to modulate gene expression in tumor cells and myeloid populations.
Design, validate, and advance nanoparticle-based delivery systems for siRNA, ASOs, gene-editing tools, and small molecules.
Engineer delivery strategies that enhance blood-brain barrier penetration, tumor specificity, cellular uptake, and immune compatibility.
Evaluate pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, efficacy, and toxicity in relevant in vitro and in vivo brain tumor models.
Apply CRISPR-based gene editing, gene regulation, functional genomics, transcriptomics, and immunophenotyping approaches to study tumor progression and immune response.
Develop translational therapeutic strategies, including nucleic-acid-based immunotherapies, immune-cell-based drug delivery approaches, CAR T-cell collaborations, and bioengineering/device development efforts.