Postdoctoral Fellow – Molecular Biology, Translational Platform Development, and Prostate Cancer Research

Location: Robert Ho Building: 2635 Laurel Street, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1M9
Affiliation: Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia
Appointment: Full-time, Postdoctoral Fellow
Reports to: Principal Investigator / Lab Director

Position Summary

The Mannas Lab at the Vancouver Prostate Centre is seeking an outstanding Postdoctoral Fellow in Molecular Biology and Translational Platform Development to help build and strengthen the molecular research capabilities of a growing translational prostate cancer lab.

This position is ideal for a highly motivated scientist who is excited by the opportunity to establish, optimize, and scale molecular and tissue-based workflows in a clinically connected research environment. The successful candidate will play a central role in developing the lab’s molecular platform across biospecimen processing, nucleic acid workflows, pathology-linked specimen organization, tissue and functional models, and translational assay development.

The postdoctoral fellow will work closely with a multidisciplinary team spanning surgery, pathology, imaging, computational biology, and translational oncology, and will help shape projects that connect molecular biology with tissue imaging, pathology, and clinically relevant disease phenotypes.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a postdoctoral scientist who wants to combine hands-on bench science, workflow development, mentorship, and translational impact.

Research Focus

The molecular postdoctoral fellow will contribute to a translational prostate cancer research program that may include:

• Development of robust molecular workflows for human prostate biopsy and tissue specimens
• DNA and RNA extraction from low-input and clinically derived samples
• Specimen architecture and tissue-to-data workflow development, including alignment of pathology, imaging, and molecular outputs
• Development and optimization of functional tissue models
• Functional studies including drug testing and perturbation assays
• Support of projects linking molecular findings with imaging, pathology, and computational modeling
• Integration of molecular workflows into multimodal research studies involving clinical, imaging, pathology, and molecular datasets

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to contribute at a high level to both experimental execution and molecular platform development, including:

• Establishing and optimizing molecular biology workflows for human prostate tissue and biopsy-derived specimens
• Designing and implementing standard operating procedures for specimen handling, processing, quality control, and downstream assay readiness
• Performing and troubleshooting DNA and RNA extraction from fresh, frozen, OCT, FFPE, or otherwise limited tissue specimens
• Building specimen workflows that preserve linkage between tissue identity, pathology review, imaging, and downstream molecular outputs
• Supporting molecular quality assessment and assay readiness across low-input workflows (for example, nucleic acid QC, sample suitability assessment, and downstream sequencing preparation)
• Developing and maintaining functional experimental systems (for example, mammalian cell culture, organoids, short-term explants, or other tissue-based models)
• Leading or supporting functional response studies (for example, drug testing, treatment-response assays, viability/proliferation assays, or perturbation experiments)
• Supporting sample preparation and QC for downstream analyses such as targeted sequencing, bulk RNA workflows, or other molecular profiling approaches
• Helping organize biospecimen tracking, documentation, assay readiness, and molecular workflow architecture
• Contributing to experimental design, result interpretation, manuscript preparation, abstract development, and grant writing
• Collaborating closely with computational and imaging-focused team members on multimodal projects
• Mentoring students, research staff, or junior trainees in molecular methods and lab workflow execution
• Helping define priorities, troubleshoot bottlenecks, and build a scalable molecular infrastructure for the lab

Required Qualifications

• PhD in molecular biology, cancer biology, cell biology, translational medicine, biomedical sciences, or a related field
• Strong hands-on expertise in core molecular biology and tissue-based research workflows (including DNA/RNA extraction, sample processing, assay optimization, and experimental troubleshooting)
• Experience with cell-based or tissue-based experimental systems
• Experience working with human tissue specimens, translational biospecimens, or clinically derived samples
• Demonstrated ability to independently develop or optimize experimental workflows
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, particularly in complex specimen-based studies
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively in a multidisciplinary research environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with nucleic acid quality control and low-input molecular workflows (for example, Qubit, TapeStation/Bioanalyzer, RIN/DIN, DV200, sample suitability assessment for sequencing-based assays)
• Experience with pathology-linked specimen organization and spatially aware tissue workflows (for example, section matching, spatial registration across imaging/pathology/molecular assays, tumor-stroma annotation, macrodissection, or laser capture microdissection)
• Experience with sequencing-adjacent and transcriptomic workflows (for example, targeted DNA sequencing panels, low-pass whole-genome sequencing, bulk RNA-seq, targeted RNA panels, qPCR, RT-qPCR, ddPCR)
• Experience with pathology-validation and tissue characterization methods (for example, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, multiplex IF, RNAscope, or other in situ approaches)
• Experience with advanced molecular profiling or spatial/transcriptomic approaches (for example, spatial transcriptomics, single-cell RNA-seq, single-nucleus RNA-seq, digital spatial profiling, ATAC-seq, CUT&Tag, CUT&RUN, or DNA methylation workflows)
• Experience with functional model systems (for example, organoid culture, primary tissue culture, short-term explants, ex vivo culture, or drug-testing platforms)
• Experience with metabolism-focused or translational biomarker methods (for example, metabolomics sample handling, targeted metabolomics, lipidomics, extracellular flux assays, ctDNA, cfDNA methylation, or related biomarker workflows)
• Interest in translational projects connecting molecular biology with pathology, imaging, and computational analysis
• Prior experience in prostate cancer, oncology, biomarker development, or translational cancer research
• Evidence of scientific productivity, including first-author publications or meaningful contributions to collaborative projects

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is someone who:

• Wants to help build and strengthen the molecular arm of a translational lab
• Is comfortable creating structure, refining workflows, and improving research systems
• Can operate with scientific independence and strong experimental judgment
• Understands how specimen quality, assay design, and workflow discipline shape downstream data quality
• Can move between detailed bench work and bigger-picture translational goals
• Enjoys mentoring others and helping establish a high-functioning laboratory culture
• Is motivated by research that connects molecular biology to real clinical questions in prostate cancer
• Can build a strong foundation first, while helping the lab grow into more advanced molecular and functional capabilities over time

Research Environment

The Mannas Lab is part of the Vancouver Prostate Centre, a UBC-affiliated translational research environment focused on advancing prostate cancer biology, diagnostics, and treatment.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work in a collaborative setting that spans:

• translational prostate cancer research
• tissue-based biospecimen science
• advanced imaging and pathology-linked studies
• molecular profiling
• multimodal biomarker development
• clinically relevant functional models

Compensation

Compensation will be commensurate with experience, qualifications, and funding source.

Application Materials

Please submit your application to Dr. Mile Mannas, at miles.mannas@ubc.ca

• Cover letter describing your interest in the position and relevant experience
• Curriculum vitae
• Contact information for 2–3 references
• Optional: representative publications, preprints, or a brief summary of relevant technical expertise

Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.

How to apply?

Please send applications to miles.mannas@ubc.ca and refer to reference number PDFO-59207.

Desired start date: 01 Aug 2026
Duration: Fixed term / Temporary
Contract Type: Full Time

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.