Karolinska Institutet, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Forskargrupp Grandér/Enge

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.

We are recruiting a doctoral (PhD) student. For more information regarding doctoral education at Karolinska Institutet (KI), see:
http://ki.se/en/phd/about-doctoral-education-at-ki

A doctoral student is admitted to third-cycle/doctoral education. A doctoral education consists of supervised research, combined with courses and other educational activities. An individual study plan is established for each doctoral student. For a doctoral degree, the equivalent of four years of full-time doctoral education is required.

Research group
Martin Enge was recently recruited from Stanford University to the department of Oncology-Pathology, where he studies clonal evolution, gene regulation and cell interaction in cancer using novel single-cell methodology. Our research aims to study these processes in cells from intact patient or mouse tissue, which allows us to reverse-engineer cancer as a complex disease influenced by both tumor cell heterogeneity and stromal interactions. We are recently established at the department, and the candidate will play an active part in shaping the setup of the team.

More information on Martin Enges’s group can be found here: http://ki.se/en/onkpat/research-team-martin-enge. For prior work see for example Enge et al., Cell 2017, Chakravarthy H et al., Cell Metab. 2017, Katainen et al., Nat. Genet 2015, Yan, Enge et al., Cell 2013.

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student
Stem cells are perpetually renewing cell populations essential for organ homeostasis, but stem-like cells exist also in tumors, where they play a key role in therapy resistance and metastasis. Stem cells require a supporting niche, consisting of adjacent epithelial and stromal cells. However, the properties of tumor stem cells and their niche are still not well understood, due to technical limitations of studying these rare and poorly defined cell populations.

The successful candidate will study single cells from primary tissue using novel single-cell methods that allow us to address the effects of genetic defects on transcription, as well as characterizing the stem cell niche in normal and tumorigenic tissues.

Eligibility requirements for doctoral education
In order to participate in the selection for a doctoral position, you must meet the following general (A) and specific (B) eligibility requirements at latest by the application deadline.

It is your responsibility to certify eligibility by following the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education.

A) General eligibility requirement

You meet the general eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you:

  1. have been awarded a second-cycle/advanced/master qualification (i.e. master degree) or
  2. have satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the advanced/second-cycle/master level, or
  3. have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.*

Follow the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education.

*If you claim equivalent knowledge, follow the instructions on the web page Assessing equivalent knowledge for general eligibility for doctoral education.

B) Specific eligibility requirement

You meet the specific eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you:

  • Show proficiency in English equivalent to the course English B/English 6 at Swedish upper secondary school.

Follow the instructions on the web page English language requirements for doctoral education.

Verification of your documents Karolinska Institutet checks the authenticity of your documents. Karolinska Institutet reserves the right to revoke admission if supporting documents are discovered to be fraudulent. Submission of false documents is a violation of Swedish law and is considered grounds for legal action.

Skills and personal qualities
We are looking for a highly driven student, with an interest in shaping future single-cell methodology and cancer biology. The project is multidisciplinary in nature, and the ideal candidate is comfortable with, and interested in learning, both molecular biology and computational biology methods. Also, we rely heavily on collaborations with clinicians, which the successful candidate will be expected to manage. 

Documented post-graduation experience within the field of statistical and/or bioinformatics analysis of data from medical or biomedical research projects is preferable but not necessary. An understanding of gene regulation and/or cancer biology is an advantage.

We are seeking a highly motivated and creative person. The candidate should have good communication skills and ability to interact effectively and work productively in a team. Emphasis will be placed on personal suitability. Excellent ability to express themselves in speech and writing in English is a requirement.

Terms and conditions
The doctoral student will be employed on a doctoral studentship maximum 4 years full-time.

Application process
Submit your application and supporting documents through the Varbi recruitment system. Use the button in the top right corner and follow the instructions.

Your application should contain the following documents:

  • A personal letter and a curriculum vitae (Swedish or English)
  • Degree projects and previous publications, if any (Swedish or English)
  • Any other documentation showing the desirable skills and personal qualities described above (Swedish or English)
  • Documents certifying your general eligibility (see A above)
  • Documents certifying your specific eligibility (see B above)

Selection
A selection will be made among eligible applicants on the basis of the ability to benefit from doctoral education. The qualifications of the applicants will be evaluated on an overall basis.

KI uses the following bases of assessment:

  • Documented subject knowledge of relevance to the area of research
  • Analytical skill
  • Other documented knowledge or experience that may be relevant to doctoral studies in the subject.

All applicants will be informed when the recruitment is completed.

Type of employment PhD placement
Contract type Full time
Reference number 2-5627/2019
Contact
  • Martin Enge, martin.enge@ki.se
Union representative
  • Andreas Lundqvist, SACO, 46 8 517 76884
  • Helen Eriksson, OFR, 08-524 823 38
Published 12.Nov.2019
Last application date 06.Jan.2020 11:59 PM CET

Return to job vacancies