PhD hematology/oncology: bone marrow microenvironment in multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma is an incurable malignancy of plasma cells that reside in the bone marrow. Within this specialized microenvironment, complex interactions between tumor cells and stromal, immune, and accessory cells play a key role in supporting disease progression and therapy resistance.

In this PhD project, you will contribute to the development and benchmarking of a physiologically relevant 3D bone marrow–mimetic model. This system will incorporate primary multiple myeloma cells together with iPSC-derived niche components, including stromal cells, endothelial cells, and osteoclasts.

Using state-of-the-art approaches such as single-cell RNA sequencing, secretome profiling, and computational network analysis, the project aims to identify key ligand–receptor interactions and signaling pathways—including NF-κB, MAPK/ERK, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and JAK/STAT—that drive myeloma cell survival and drug resistance.

The project is jointly led by Dr. Richard Groen, an expert in 3D tissue engineering and stem cell-based model systems, and Dr. Jeroen Guikema, who specializes in oncogenic signaling and B-cell biology. Together, they provide complementary expertise in advanced in vitro modeling and mechanistic cancer biology.

Would you like to know more about the different phases within the PhD trajectory? You can read more about this on this page.

As a PhD candidate embedded in both research groups, you will bridge advanced tissue engineering with mechanistic cancer biology to understand how the bone marrow niche promotes therapy resistance in multiple myeloma.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Establishing and optimizing 3D bone marrow-like co-culture models in the laboratory of Dr. Richard Groen, including differentiation of iPSC lines into bone marrow accessory cell types and integration with primary myeloma cells
• Investigating microenvironmental mechanisms that support myeloma cell survival using single-cell and secretome-based approaches
• Collaborating with the Guikema group to study signaling pathways and cell–cell interactions underlying drug resistance
• Applying advanced experimental readouts such as flow cytometry, single-cell RNA sequencing, and multiplex secretome profiling
• Functionally validating key survival signals in close collaboration with bioinformatics partners

This position offers an excellent opportunity to develop both technical expertise and conceptual insight at the interface of stem cell biology, tumor microenvironment research, and cancer signaling.

We are looking for a motivated and curious candidate who meets the following criteria:

• A Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences, Molecular/Cellular Biology, Medical Biology, or a related field
• Strong motivation to work at the interface of hematology, stem cell biology, and cancer signaling
• Experience with mammalian cell culture (experience with iPSC culture, 3D co-culture systems, or single-cell technologies is an advantage)
• Strong analytical thinking skills and the ability to troubleshoot complex experimental systems
• A collaborative mindset and enjoyment of working in a multidisciplinary team of scientists, bioinformaticians, and clinicians
• Excellent command of spoken and written English