Additional Information
Academic
Job Category
Faculty Non Bargaining
Job Profile
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Job Title
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Department
Maxwell Laboratory | Department of Paediatrics | Faculty of Medicine
Compensation Range
See details below.
Posting End Date
July 8, 2026
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
This position is subject to the satisfactory completion of required background checks
Job End Date
July 31, 2027
This position is subject to the satisfactory completion of required background checks.
Postdoctoral Fellow Position - Cell Division and Mammary/Epithelial Cancer Biology
Maxwell Lab | BC Children's Hospital Research Institute | University of British Columbia
Position Summary
The Maxwell Laboratory invites applications for a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow with strong expertise in mammary gland biology, epithelial tissue organization, or mechanisms of cell division and mitosis, with a particular interest in cancer susceptibility and genome instability.
The successful candidate will join a dynamic research team focused on understanding how errors in cell division and tissue organization contribute to hereditary and childhood cancers, with emphasis on BRCA1-associated pathways, spindle orientation, and epithelial cell fate decisions in mammary and related tissues.
About the Lab
The Maxwell Lab, led by Dr. Chris Maxwell at BC Children's Hospital Research Institute and UBC, investigates how cell division is regulated at the molecular and tissue level, and how its disruption contributes to hereditary cancers and pediatric malignancies ( https://bcchr.ca/maxwell-lab ).
Key areas include :
Mechanisms of cell division fidelity, spindle orientation, and cell polarity
Role of BRCA1 and associated pathways (e.g., PLK1, HMMR) in mammary epithelial biology
Cellular origins of genome instability in cancer predisposition syndromes
Development of in vivo and ex vivo models of pediatric and hereditary cancers
Translation toward personalized medicine approaches in childhood cancer
The lab has extensive expertise in:
- Human primary mammary epithelial cell systems
- Mouse and genetically engineered cancer models
- High-content and live-cell imaging
- Tumor evolution and therapeutic response modeling
Research Environment
The fellow will be embedded in a highly collaborative environment within: BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, UBC Department of Pediatrics, and the Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program. The lab also actively collaborates with national and international partners in the fields of: Hereditary cancer biology; Oriented cell division mechanisms; Pediatric leukemia and breast cancer modeling; and, Precision oncology initiatives
Project Focus (Representative Areas) and Responsibilities
Applicants may contribute to one or more of the following:
1. Mammary epithelial cell fate and division orientation
Mechanisms controlling symmetric vs asymmetric division
Role of spindle orientation in differentiation and tumor initiation
2. Genome instability in hereditary cancer syndromes
Role of spindle orientation in differentiation and tumor initiation
- Interaction between mitotic machinery and DNA damage responses
3. Cell division regulation in epithelial tissue architecture
4. Translational cancer modeling
- Patient-derived mammary epithelial systems
- In vivo modeling of cancer predisposition states
The fellow will be responsible for conducting basic/translational research in one or more of the above research focus areas, design and execute research plans and perform data analyses, contribute to writing manuscripts and grants, present research findings in internal and external meetings, and/or mentor junior trainees in the laboratory.
Required qualifications
1. PhD in Cell Biology, Cancer Biology, Developmental Biology, Biochemistry, or related field
2. Strong expertise in at least one of:
Mammary epithelial biology or organoid systems; Cell division / mitosis / spindle dynamics; Genome instability or DNA damage responses
3. Proven record of first-author publications in high-impact journals
4. Experience with at least one of:
Live-cell imaging or advanced microscopy; Mouse models or genetically engineered systems; Primary cell culture or organoid systems; Molecular perturbation (CRISPR, RNAi, etc.)
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