Call for International Postdoctoral Fellow – TORC (InterACT)
The TORC research group at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) invites outstanding and highly motivated international postdoctoral researchers to develop and submit a proposal within the InterACT programme.
InterACT is an international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral postdoctoral programme co-funded by the European Union (MSCA COFUND), offering fully funded fellowships and strong support for research with societal and policy impact.
Research Topic
Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) in oncology
Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) hold major promise for oncology but remain challenging to develop, manufacture, and implement in academic and hospital environments.
This project will:
- map key bottlenecks in academia-led ATMP initiatives (e.g. GMP-compliant manufacturing, quality and regulatory requirements, scalability, and cost)
- assess clinical trial readiness and implementation pathways
- address reimbursement challenges and patient access
- explore collaboration models between universities, university hospitals, GMP facilities, industry, regulators, technology transfer offices, and patient representatives
The goal is to develop sustainable strategies to facilitate the clinical translation of ATMPs.
Key Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must comply with the main InterACT requirements:
- Mobility rule: applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work/studies) in Belgium for more than 12 months in the 36 months prior to the deadline (8 January 2027)
(exceptions include refugee status procedures, compulsory national service, and short stays such as holidays) - PhD degree: must be obtained (or successfully defended) before the deadline
- No permanent contract with VUB at the time of application
- Strong academic profile and proficiency in English
Full eligibility details are available in the official call documentation.
Supervision
The selected candidate will be supervised by: Prof. Dr. Sandra Tuyaerts (TORC, VUB)
The fellow will work closely with the supervisor to develop a competitive fellowship proposal.
Application Procedure
This is not a standard job application.
Step 1 (mandatory – preselection):
Contact us as soon as possible (deadline 8 November 2026, but the sooner the better) at isabelle.houbracken@vub.be or torc@vub.be with:
- a CV
- a short description of research interests
Step 2 (after selection):
Selected candidates will co-develop a full proposal with TORC.
Final Submission Deadline
📅 8 January 2027 (17:00 CET)
Please note: this is the deadline for submitting the full proposal via the InterACT platform, not for initial contact.
Call Documents & Application Guidelines
All applicants must use the official templates and guidance documents provided via the InterACT call page:
👉 InterACT Call Page (Guide for Applicants & Templates)
This page includes:
- Guide for Applicants
- Proposal application template
- Ethics checklist
- Templates for letters of commitment
All applications must be submitted through the official application platform.