News

We are thrilled to share that we’ve received more than 200 applications for our program. The evaluation process will be conducted collaboratively by the respective project supervisors. We look forward to reviewing all the innovative and inspiring submissions and will keep you updated as the selection process progresses. 

Less than a week left to apply for our future docotoral candidates!

Join the spaXio Doctoral Network, where we’re decoding the biology of metastasis through spatial omics, organoid models, and computational biology. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this cutting-edge research community.

Further details here.

spaXio, an EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network within the CIVIS European University Alliance (civis.eu), is recruiting 14 PhD candidates to investigate how cancer metastasizes and interacts with the immune system using spatial multi-omics, 3D tumoroids, and AI-driven analysis. Candidates will receive interdisciplinary, cutting-edge training across academia and industry, preparing them to become future leaders in cancer, immuno-oncology, and spatial biology.

Application starts on the 14th of October! Further details here.

The third edition of the Summer School "Immuno-Oncology in the Spatial Omics Era" is currently underway, supported by spaXio members. Hosted by the Institute Cancer and Immunology, the programme brings together international Master’s and PhD students to explore how spatial omics technologies are transforming cancer research. Participants engage in hands-on workshops, theoretical sessions, and problem-based learning to understand tumor immunity at the molecular and tissue levels. Renowned experts are delivering advanced seminars on spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolic imaging. This immersive programme emphasizes the integration of cutting-edge research with practical laboratory experience. 

The first successful run of the Xenium spatial transcriptomics platform has been completed in Salzburg! This cutting-edge technology—now installed at the Paris Lodron University Salzburg—was made possible thanks to funding from the FFG funded-CellComm initiative and the incredible support of the Centre for Tumour Biology and Immunology, as well as the Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology.

The Xenium will play a vital role in spatially resolved omics for spaXio’s mission to uncover the secrets of metastatic niches.

spaXio will start beginning of October 2025 and start recruiting doctoral candidates beginning of next year.

Follow us @BlueSky, @Mastodon  and @LinkedIn for updates.

The international research project spaXio (spatial crosstalk in immuno-oncology), coordinated by the University of Salzburg, has been selected for funding through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks program of the European Union.

spaXio brings together leading scientists from institutions in Salzburg, Tübingen, Marseille, Madrid, Lausanne, and Munich, in close collaboration with academic, clinical, and industry partners across Europe and the United States. The project aims to explore how cancer spreads to distant organs by investigating the spatial and temporal interactions between tumor cells, immune cells, the microbiome, and their surrounding tissue environments.

Using spatial omics technologies, 3D tumor models, and AI-driven digital twins, the consortium will develop new approaches to understand metastasis and identify targeted therapies.

At its core, spaXio will train 13 interdisciplinary doctoral researchers, equipping them with cutting-edge scientific and transferable skills to shape the future of personalized cancer treatment.