Postdoctoral studies in spatial bioinformatic analysis of cancer development (scholarship)

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research? Do you want to contribute to better health for all?

Join an experienced team to decipher the role of tissue mechanics in cancer development. The research group of Staffan Strömblad at the Department of Medicine-Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet (KI), seeks a talented and motivated postdoctoral researcher to join a collaborative project. The Strömblad lab investigates the nature of cell-matrix interactions in cancer and how these interactions influence key cellular functions, including cellular senescence, cell proliferation and migration (e.g., Göransson et al. Matrix biology 2025; Hu et al., Science Advances 2022; Costa et al., Nature Communications 2019; Lock et al., Nature Cell Biology 2018).

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work at the interface of bioinformatics, cancer biology and tissue mechanics in a creative and collaborative research environment to analyze unique spatial data in an innovative manner. You will develop and perform cutting-edge bioinformatic analysis integrating different multiplexed spatial data, and gain a deep understanding of cancer biology and tissue mechanics. You will get the opportunity to encounter and interact within a vibrant department hosting a broad range of medical research. The Strömblad lab actively collaborate with research groups within the department, within other parts of KI, as well as nationally and internationally, and participate in research networks such as the Breast Cancer Theme Center (BRECT) at KI and Cancer Research KI.

Your mission

You will work together with cancer biologists in the Strömblad lab to unravel how the tissue mechanical properties affects cancer development, and how this is controlled at the cellular and molecular levels. We are currently producing snRNA-seq and Stereo-Seq data from two mouse lung cancer models. You will take the responsibility for the bioinformatic analysis of these data to integrate the two data types to produce a spatial deep expression map at cellular resolution. The spatial expression data will then be overlayed with images of the extracellular matrix organization and segmented tumor lesions with tumor grade annotations. You will spatially integrate these highly multiplexed data to identify tissue nisches and reveal their specific cell compositions and gene expression patterns.

Your profile

The candidate must have an extensive experience in performing bioinformatic analyses in an independent manner. Experience with snRNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics, and with spatial analysis including integration of different data types constitute strong merits, as well as experience in cancer biology.

Entry requirements

Postdoctoral scholarships may be established for foreign researchers who pursue their merit in Sweden. A foreign researcher is a person living in another country who comes to Sweden with the intention of only staying in Sweden for all or part of their postdoctoral education at KI. Persons who are resident in Sweden and/or have carried out all or part of their academic education at KI or some other educational institution in Sweden cannot be considered for scholarships. 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. After the initial two years, postdoctoral training could ensue with other types of financing.

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. 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) start date of the post-doctoral education.

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 innovative medical research and provide the largest range of biomedical 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. Students and employees have free access to our modern gym facilities with trained staff on site.

Type of scholarship

The scholarship 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.

Location: Campus Flemingsberg, in the Neo building

Links:
Department of Medicine, Huddinge
Staffan Strömblad´ s research group

Application process

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

• A letter of intent
• 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 with original publications and other publications separated by subheadings
• A summary of current work (no more than one page)
• A list of bioinformatic analysis experiences, specifying for each type of analysis the extent of experience, degree of independence, and specific software utilized with the level of expertise indicated for each software.
• Three letters of reference

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

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