Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

We are looking for a postdoc that will work with cancer genomics data in the ALASCCA trial. ALASCCA is a prospective clinical trial investigating if adjuvant aspirin treatment lowers the risk of metastasis in PI3K mutated localized colorectal cancer. The ALASCCA study is a collaboration between Anna Martling’s research group (Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery (MMK), KI) and Henrik Grönberg’s research group (MEB, KI)

In ALASCCA, study participants are recruited from a Nordic network of 32 participating hospitals. Biomaterial (blood and tumor tissue) is shipped to the biobank at Karolinska Institutet (KI). Broad panel sequencing is performed on a weekly basis, which enables randomization of study participants based on presence of somatic alterations in the PI3K signaling pathway. Currently 2215 cases have been profiled and 365 patients randomized. The trial will run until approximately 3500 study participants have been included. The primary endpoint of ALASCCA, time to recurrence at 3 years, will be investigated early 2023.

The Cancer Genomics team at MEB, which is part of Henrik Grönberg’s research group, is performing prospective genomic profiling for multiple clinical trials including ALASCCA. The Cancer Genomics team is headed by Senior Researcher Johan Lindberg and consists of one postdoc, three bioinformaticians and three lab engineers. The postdoc starts with 2 years with possibility for up to 2 years extension.

Your mission

The candidate postdoc will work within the Cancer Genomic team at MEB with genomic data generated for the ALASCCA trial. Although prospective profiling is being applied in ALASCCA, the data have not been investigated beyond alterations in the PI3K signaling pathway. The postdoc will investigate auxiliary research questions, such as to compare genomic subtypes of patients already on aspirin at trial entry vs. aspirin naïve patients and correlate genomic subtypes with response to adjuvant chemotherapy.

In addition, the postdoc with be essential for the establishment of additional projects in the context of the ALASCCA infrastructure and cohort. A pilot is currently planned to establish circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) profiling in localized colorectal cancer. The goal is to apply ctDNA profiling in a follow-up trial to ALASCCA to investigate if ctDNA-guided disease monitoring can be used to escalate or de-escalate adjuvant therapy in localized colorectal cancer. Although the postdoc initially will focus on a set of pre-defined research questions, initiatives are encouraged to explore new avenues. The postdoc is also expected to author scientific articles.  

Your profile

  • Qualified to be employed as a postdoctor is one who has obtained a doctorate or has equivalent scientific competence. Applicants who have not completed a doctorate at the end of the application period may also apply, provided that all requirements for a completed degree are met before the (intended) date of employment. This must be substantiated by the applicant's main supervisor, director or equivalent.
  • Hands-on experience from working with cancer genomics informatics is an advantage, as is co-authorship from cancer genomics projects.
  • Experience from working with statistical analysis software (e.g. R) and programming in a Linux/Unix environment (e.g. Perl/Python) is required.

To be successful, the postdoc has to have the ability to work independently, to cooperate, to be ambitions and to take initiatives. 

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment full of expertise and curiosity. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Our vision is to pursue the development of knowledge about life and to promote a better health for all. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. Karolinska Institutet is a state university, which entitles to several benefits such as extended holiday and generous occupational pension. Employees also have access to our modern gym for free and receive reimbursements for medical care.


Location:
Solna

Application

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

  • A complete resumé, 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)

Welcome to apply at the latest xxx

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

Want to make a difference? Join us and contribute to better health for all

Type of employment Temporary position
Contract type Full time
First day of employment According to agreement
Salary Monthly
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100%
City Solna
County Stockholms län
Country Sweden
Reference number 2-4943/2019
Contact
  • Sara Tiste, 08-524 822 84
  • Johan Lindberg, 08 524 870 02
Union representative
  • Henry Wölling, SEKO, 08-524 840 80
  • Ulrika Zagai, SACO, 08--524 871 84, ulrika.zagai@ki.se
Published 02.Oct.2019
Last application date 06.Nov.2019 11:59 PM CET

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