About City of Hope

City of Hope is an independent biomedical research and treatment organization for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.

Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy such as CAR T cell therapy. City of Hope’s translational research and personalized treatment protocols advance care throughout the world. Human synthetic insulin, monoclonal antibodies and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs are based on technology developed at the institution.  AccessHope™, a subsidiary launched in 2019 serves employers and their health care partners by providing access to City of Hope’s specialized cancer expertise.

A National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope is ranked among the nation’s “Best Hospitals” in cancer by U.S. News & World Report and received Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Its main campus is located near Los Angeles, with additional locations throughout Southern California and in Arizona.

City of Hope’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We believe diversity, equity and inclusion is key in serving our mission to provide compassionate patient care, drive innovative discovery, and advance vital education focused on eliminating cancer and diabetes in all of our communities.  Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ensures we bring the full range of skills, perspectives, cultural backgrounds and experiences to our work -- and that our teams align with the people we serve in order to build trust and understanding.  We are dedicated to fostering a community that embraces diversity - in ideas, backgrounds and perspectives; this is reflected in our work and represented in our people.

Position Summary and Key Responsibilities:

Postdoctoral positions are now available in the laboratory of Dr. Yilun Liu at the Department of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope.  Dr. Liu’s research topics include:

• Dissecting the molecular mechanism by which transcription-associated genomic instability and epigenetic deregulation contribute to developmental abnormalities and cancer.
• Developing pharmaceutical mechanisms for cancer therapy by targeting enzymes important for preventing the formation of DNA breaks arose during accelerated cell growth such as in cancer cells as well as factors important for the BRCA2 and PARP-dependent repair pathways to keep these DNA breaks unrepaired.
• Exploring the role of mitochondrial DNA in cancer pathogenesis and in immune response.
• Targeting SUMOylation of topoisomerase I in chemo- and immuno-therapies.    

Basic education, experience and skills required for consideration:

• A Ph.D. degree in life or biomedical sciences, or a related discipline is required.
• Experience in biochemistry and/or cell biology is preferred.

Additional information:

• Dr. Liu’s research is currently supported by NIH R01 grants from National Cancer Institute (NCI) and National Institute of General Medical Science (NIGMS) and a grant from Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. 
• Dr. Liu’s group has published in journals, including Nature Communications, Cell Reports, EMBO Journal and PNAS. A full list of publications can be found at

My Bibliography or Google Scholar.

• For more information on Dr. Liu’s research please visit, here.
• As a condition of employment, City of Hope requires staff to comply with all state and federal vaccination mandates.

City of Hope is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

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