PhD student in Cancer and Molecular targeted therapy - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology at Uppsala University has a broad research profile with strong research groups focused on cancer, autoimmune and genetic diseases. A fundamental idea at the department is to stimulate translational research and thereby closer interactions between medical research and health care. Research is presently conducted in the following areas: medical and clinical genetics, clinical immunology, pathology, neuro biology, neuro-oncology, vascular biology, radiation science and molecular tools. Department activities are also integrated with the units for Oncology, Clinical Genetics, Clinical Immunology, Clinical Pathology, and Hospital Physics at Akademiska sjukhuset, Uppsala. The department has teaching assignments in several education programmes, including Master Programmes, at the Faculty of Medicine, and at the Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology. The department has a yearly turnover of around SEK 500 million, out of which more than half is made up of external funding. The staff amounts to approximately 345 employees, out of which 100 are PhD-students, and there are in total more than 700 affiliated people. Feel free to read more about the department's activities here: www.igp.uu.se.

Duties
Quiescent cancer cells (QCCs) residing in the reversible G0 phase present a significant therapeutic challenge due to their inaccessibility through surgery and resistance to conventional cell cycle-targeted therapies. The potential transformation of QCCs into proliferative cancer cells (PCCs) contributes to recurrence and eventual metastasis. Despite a decade of extensive research into the mechanisms of QCCs, these cells remain enigmatic. We are actively seeking a motivated PhD student to spearhead the identification of innovative anticancer agents targeting QCCs. The research will involve spheroid-based screenings of diverse chemical libraries for colorectal cancer and pediatric neuroblastoma. Additionally, the PhD student will explore novel hallmarks of quiescent cancer cells by establishing an in vivo model that expresses QCC reporters.

More about our research here, https://www.igp.uu.se/forskning/cancerprecisionsmedicin/

Requirements
To meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies, you must

• hold a Master’s (second-cycle) degree in earth sciences, physics, remote sensing, or in a related and relevant discipline with the natural sciences and engineering, or
• have completed at least 240 credits in higher education, with at least 60 credits at Master’s level including an independent project worth at least 15 credits, or
• have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way. 

Other important requirements for the position:

• have a strong background in cancer biology and mitochondrial biology
• expertise in both 2D and 3D-spheroids in vitro models and organoid culture
• expertise in various imaging techniques, with a focus on confocal microscopy
• experience in image analysis
• expertise in immunohistochemistry
• proficient in large-scale drug screening and the subsequent hit validation process
• experience in FACS analysis, Western blots, PCR, and other fundamental wet-lab skills
• demonstrate fluency and proficiency in English, both spoken and written, for effective dissemination, communication, and international publishing.
• ability to work independently and jointly in a group

Additional qualifications
Experience in fluorescence techniques, and in vivo animal studies are added merits when candidates are assessed. Skills and background in scRNA-SEQ analysis are also merits.

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date by agreement. Placement: Uppsala

For further information about the position, please contact: Xiaonan Zhang, 0046–760235812, xiaonan.zhang@igp.uu.se

Please submit your application by 15 February 2024, UFV-PA 2024/395.

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