Karolinska Institutet, Department of Oncology-Pathology

At the Department of Oncology-Pathology basic, translational and clinical research and educational activities related to cancer is carried out. Approximately 300 people from over 40 nations are currently working at the department. About 30 research groups with various cancer research profiles are involved and we have around 110 PhD students. The Department of Oncology-Pathology is responsible for undergraduate courses in Pathology, Oncology and Forensic Medicine for medical students, as well as for Tumor biology courses for biomedicine students and Pathology courses for opticians.

Division
The position is placed in the research team headed by Assistant Professor Nina Gustafsson at the Department of Oncology-Pathology situated at the Science for Life Laboratories. The research group is a creative and dedicated team that performs translational cancer research with focus on metabolic regulation of the DNA damage response. We provide mentorship to help the candidate progress to a career as an independent researcher and have several collaborations involving world-leading researchers and clinicians, providing excellent network opportunities.

We share laboratories with the research group headed by Professor Thomas Helleday and Deputy group leader Ulrika Warpman Berglund, which provides an excellent translational and scientific environment. The research vision in the Helleday Laboratory, is to use the discoveries from our basic research programmes on oxidative damage and DNA repair to help identify and validate novel anticancer targets and facilitate the discovery of new treatments. Our multidisciplinary research group is located at Science for Life Laboratory and includes PhD students, postdocs and senior scientists within biology, biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacology, many with experience from the pharmaceutical industry.

Duties
We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher to drive an exciting research project investigating the novel relationship between metabolism and genomic instability in cancer. We have identified a novel role for metabolic enzymes in driving cancer cell proliferation via regulation of the DNA damage response and developed a drug targeting one of these enzymes. However, the underlying mechanisms in the interplay between these two hallmarks of cancer are not clear.

The project will focus on metabolism and the DNA damage response in cancer using state of the art models and techniques such as patient derived ex vivo cultures, organoids, CRISPR/Cas9 knockout, live-cell imaging and DNA fiber assays. The appointed person will be expected to plan, perform, analyse and interpret experimental results independently and within the team, present at scientific conferences and participate in national/international collaboration networks. The applicant is expected to be dedicated to full time experimental research and should maintain accurate and up to date research records.

We anticipate that the project not only will results in novel, exciting scientific publications but also contribute towards new therapeutic approaches against cancer.

Entry requirements
Scholarships for postdoctoral qualification can be established for foreign researchers who place their qualifications in Sweden. The purpose of scholarships for postdoctoral qualification is to promote internationalization and contribute to research qualification after a doctorate or equivalent.

A scholarship for carrying out postdoctoral research can be granted for a maximum of two years within a four year period following the receipt of a doctoral degree or equivalent.

To be eligible for a postdoctoral scholarship, the person must have obtained a doctorate or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a doctorate.

The head of the department determines whether their previous training and scholarly qualifications correspond to a Swedish doctorate or higher.

Other requirements
The successful candidate should hold a PhD degree in biomedical, cell- or molecular biology. The applicant should have prior experience in molecular mechanisms of DNA repair and/or replication and relevant techniques. We are looking for a bright, ambitious and highly motivated researcher who can work well in a team, in a multidisciplinary and highly international and ethnically diverse laboratory.

The applicant should have good social and analytical skills and be able to organise and prioritise research within the project timetable. The applicant should have excellent written and oral communication skills and be fluent in English, written and spoken.

Emphasis will be placed on personal suitability.

Type of scholarship
The amount is tax free and it is set for twelve months at a time, paid out on a six months basis. In exceptional cases, shorter periods may be acceptable.

Application process
An application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

  • A complete curriculum vitae, including date of the thesis defence, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work
  • A complete list of publications
  • A summary of current work (no more than one page)

The application is to be submitted on the Varbi recruitment system.

First day of employment As per agreement
Reference number 2-5989/2019
Contact
  • Nina Gustafsson, nina.gustafsson@ki,se
Union representative
  • Andreas Lundqvist, SACO, 46 8 517 76884
  • Helen Eriksson, OFR, 08-524 823 38
Published 01.Dec.2019
Last application date 10.Jan.2020 11:59 PM CET

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