Research Specialist to study the role of mRNA translation in cancer.

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

The Department of Oncology-Pathology is searching for a research specialist to work with Dr Ola Larsson and co-workers to study the role of mRNA translation in cancer. Dysregulated mRNA translation is emerging as a central facet in cancer progression that is incompletely understood. The Larsson group is seeking the upstream signals as well as the downstream effectors underlying transcript-selective alterations of translation in cancer. The overall goal is to understand how mRNA translation can be targeted in future anti-cancer therapy.

Description of the subject area

Gene expression is regulated post-transcriptionally at multiple levels including mRNA-splicing, -transport, -stability and -translation. Regulation of translation enables quick alterations in gene expression in response to internal and external signals; and highly controlled expression of genes with potentially detrimental functions (e.g. oncogenes). In many cases, mRNA translation is regulated at the level of initiation and therefore involves a shift in the number of ribosomes synthesizing proteins from each mRNA. In addition, we and other research groups have shown that key oncogenic pathways modulate translation by tuning translation elongation. This has expanded the repertoire of mechanisms controlling mRNA translation in health and disease.

Translational can be regulated globally, by targeting translation of mRNA transcribed from most genes in a similar fashion, or selectively, by targeting subsets of mRNAs. The specificity for regulation depends on features in the mRNA molecule, often found in the untranslated region (UTR) but also in the coding region when regulation occurs at the level of elongation. Regulation of translation depends on interactions between these RNA-features and e.g. translation factors and RNA-binding proteins. A broader understanding of how mRNA translation is regulated and dysregulated in diseases is lacking.

The goal of our research program is to generate knowledge about the organization, specificity and mechanisms acting to control translation at a transcriptome-wide level, and how these mechanisms are affected in e.g. breast cancer. In particular, we aim to understand whether translation defines molecular subtypes of cancer and identify mechanisms that are potential targets for their treatment. This may guide us towards new therapeutic targets for treatment of poor prognosis breast cancers.

Your mission

Your role is to analyze data describing transcription start sites and to decipher how these interact with the translation apparatus to modulate translational efficiencies. The long term goal is to understand how these alterations facilitate cancer development.

Eligibility requirements

For employment as Research Specialist at Karolinska Institutet, the eligibility requirements stated in the Guidelines for non-teaching positions at Karolinska Institutet are applied in relation to the established profile of employment.

To be eligible for employment as a Research Specialist, in addition to holding a Degree of Doctor, PhD, or having equivalent scientific expertise, the applicant must have demonstrated research expertise as well as have documented research experience after defending their doctoral dissertation.

Assessment criteria

It is particularly meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Prior experience of research in mRNA translation'
• Prior experience in analysis of polysome/ribosome-profiling data
• Prior experience in analysis of nanoCAGE data
• Excellent knowledge in the programming language R
• Excellent communication skills (spoken and written) in English
• Experience as a post-doctoral researcher 

It is meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Prior experience in cancer biology 
• Prior experience in RNA biology research

After an overall assessment of the expertise and merits of the applicants in relation to the subject area, Karolinska Institutet will determine which of them has the best potential to contribute to a positive development of the activities at KI.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Here, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. At KI, you get to meet researchers working with a wide range of specialisms and methods, giving you ample opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with the various scientific fields within medicine and health. It is the crossover collaborations, which have pushed KI to where it is today, at the forefront of global research. Several of the people you meet in healthcare are educated at KI. A close relationship with the health care providers is important for creating groundbreaking top quality education and research. Karolinska Institutet is also a state university, which entitles you to several benefits through our collective agreement.

Location: Solna 

Application

We prefer that Your application is written in English. An application must contain the following documents:  PhD certificate, resumé, qualifications and description of planned research, presented in accordance with Karolinska Institutet's qualifications portfolio.

Welcome to apply at the latest 18th of August.

The application must be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

The employment is for seven months.