PhD Position in Bioinformatics: Clinical Breast Cancer Proteomics Karolinska Institutet in Sweden

This PhD position at Karolinska Institutet offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to top-quality medical research in the field of bioinformatics and clinical breast cancer proteomics. The successful candidate will join the Cancer Proteomics Mass Spectrometry research group, led by Professor Janne Lehtiö, at the Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab). The Lehtiö group is renowned for its translational research, aiming to improve cancer treatment through multi-omics tumor data analysis. The team works collaboratively across disciplines to study genes and proteins within biological networks, understand how molecular changes in tumors impact the proteome, and discover new disease biomarkers for therapeutic exploitation.

SciLifeLab is a national infrastructure and research center for technology-driven life sciences, with Karolinska Institutet as one of its founding universities. The environment is stimulating and diverse, featuring highly motivated colleagues and cutting-edge technology. The position is part of the SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program for Data-Driven Life Science (DDLS), which is funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The DDLS program aims to recruit and train the next generation of data-driven life scientists, focusing on cell and molecular biology, evolution and biodiversity, precision medicine and diagnostics, and epidemiology and biology of infection.

The doctoral project centers on integrative and translational analysis of omics data from clinical breast cancer cohorts, with a special emphasis on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The candidate will apply established data analysis pipelines and develop new computational strategies for quantitative biological data analysis, validating results with public domain data. The role requires a strong interest in proteomics data analysis, excellent communication skills, and a collaborative mindset.

Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities, offering a creative and inspiring environment, individual research projects, well-educated supervision, a wide range of elective courses, and opportunities for international exchange. The doctoral student will be employed on a studentship with a contractual salary for up to four years full-time. Additional benefits include access to a modern gym and medical care reimbursements.

Eligibility requirements include a Master of Science or equivalent in bioinformatics, biology, medicine, computer science, mathematical statistics, or a related field. Applicants must have documented education and experience in bioinformatics data analysis, programming skills in Python and/or R, knowledge of statistical methods, and an understanding of cell and molecular biology. Proficiency in English equivalent to English B/English 6 at Swedish upper secondary school is mandatory. Additional merits include experience with high-throughput omics data (such as MS-based proteomics, NGS), systems biology or systems medicine, large-scale data analysis, integration and visualization, ability to interpret omics data in a biological context, knowledge of breast cancer biology, and strong collaborative and interpersonal skills.

Applications should be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system. Required documents include a personal letter, CV, degree projects, previous publications, and certificates of eligibility. The application can be written in English or Swedish. The deadline for applications is May 13, 2026.

For more information about the DDLS Research School, visit https://www.scilifelab.se/data-driven/ddls-research-school/. To apply, use the direct link: Application Portal.

Join the Lehtiö lab and DDLS research school to make a difference in cancer research and contribute to better health for all.