PhD position in artificial intelligence and drug resistance

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

To be a doctoral student means to devote oneself to a research project under supervision of experienced researchers and following an individual study plan. For a doctoral degree, the equivalent of four years of full-time doctoral education is required.

One Ph.D. position is available in bioinformatics with a focus on large-scale data analysis using artificial intelligence. The research project is centered around predicting drug response at the single cell level for children with cancer, using publicly available data augmented by new data that we have generated supported by a grant from the European Research Council.

The future of life science is data-driven. Will you be part of that change? Then join us in this unique program!

The research group

Data-driven life science (DDLS) uses data, computational methods and artificial intelligence to study biological systems and processes at all levels, from molecular structures and cellular processes to human health and global ecosystems. The SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program for Data- Driven Life Science (DDLS) aims to recruit and train the next-generation of data-driven life scientists and to create globally leading computational and data science capabilities in Sweden. The program is funded with a total of 3.1 billion SEK (about 290 MUSD) over 12 years from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg (KAW) Foundation.

During 2024 the DDLS Research School will be launched with the recruitment of 20 academic and 7 industrial PhD students. During the course of the DDLS program more than 260 PhD students and 200 postdocs will be part of the Research School. The DDLS program has four strategic areas: cell and molecular biology, evolution and biodiversity, precision medicine and diagnostics, epidemiology and biology of infection. For more information, please see 

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

The position is in the field of data-driven precision medicine and diagnostics, and covers data integration, analysis, visualization, and data interpretation for patient stratification, discovery of biomarkers for disease risks, diagnosis, drug response and monitoring of health. The precision medicine research is expected to make use of existing strong assets in Sweden and abroad, such as molecular data (e.g. omics), imaging, electronic health care records, longitudinal patient and population registries and biobanks.

The position is at the intersection of computer science and translational medicine, necessitating extensive collaboration with experts across various fields. The Ph.D. position will be supervised by Dr. Kasper Karlsson. The group focuses on finding new therapies for children with cancer. We do this by applying several different methods and techniques, including cell barcoding to study individual tumor subclones, state-of-the-art organoid technologies, high-throughput drug screening and single-cell sequencing. The position will be co-supervised by Professor Jens Lagergren at the Division of Computational Science and Technology, Royal Institute of Technology and Dr. Avlant Nilsson at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet.

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. As a doctoral student you are offered an individual research project, a well-educated supervisor, a vast range of elective courses and the opportunity to work in a leading research group. Karolinska Institutet collaborates with prominent universities from all around the world, which ensures opportunities for international exchanges. You will be employed on a doctoral studentship which means that you receive a contractual salary. Employees also have access to our modern gym for free and receive reimbursements for medical care.

Your work will be carried out at the Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), that is a leading national infrastructure for next-generation life science research in Sweden. SciLifeLab is jointly operated by the four host universities: Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University and Uppsala University, and it has facilities in four other universities across Sweden. There are over 1 000 people working at SciLifeLab, either in research groups or in the infrastructure facilities, most of them in the KI Solna campus and in Uppsala. This position resides at the Solna campus.

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.

(A) and (B) can only be certified by the documentation requirement for doctoral education.

Skills and personal qualities

The successful candidate should be highly motivated to pursue a 4-year doctoral education and must hold an M.Sc. degree in a relevant field, such as data science, bioinformatics, mathematical statistics, mathematics, computer science, physics or molecular biology (obtained latest October 1, 2024). The applicant must be fluent in English and be eager to work in a cross disciplinary and international team. The candidate should possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills, enjoy working in a collaborative setting, be willing to learn new techniques and be self-driven. Qualified candidates have the following profile:

• Previous programming experience is required.
• Experience with deep learning models will be prioritized.
• Experience with Unix shell scripting is desired.
• Experience in analyzing single cell, multiomic, and drug response data is desired.

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. We prefer that your application is written in English, but you can also apply in Swedish.

Your application must contain the following documents:

- A personal letter and a curriculum vitae
- Degree projects and previous publications, if any
- Any other documentation showing the desirable skills and personal qualities described above
- 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.

Karolinska Institutet 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.

Choose Karolinska Institutet ten reasons why

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

1. Kasper Karlsson, kasper.karlsson@ki.se

1. Helen Eriksson, OFR, helen.eriksson@ki.se
2. Henry Wölling, Seko, henry.wolling@ki.se
3. Per Hydbring/Nick Tobin, SACO, per.hydbring@ki.se/nick.tobin@ki.se