PhD position in Bioinformatics with a focus on precision medicine for Multiple Sclerosis

Published: 2021-03-18

The deadline for applying to this position has passed.

Uppsala University is a comprehensive research-intensive university with a strong international standing. Our ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a long-term difference in society. Our most important assets are all the individuals whose curiosity and dedication make Uppsala University one of Sweden’s most exciting workplaces. Uppsala University has over 45,000 students, more than 7,000 employees and a turnover of around SEK 7 billion.

The Department of Medical Sciences is a large clinical institution with more than 250 employees and over 300 additional coworkers connected via the Uppsala University Hospital. The Department of Medical Sciences has a broad research profile with strong research groups in a number of different areas. The research carried out at the department is performed in close connection with the clinical activities at the Uppsala University Hospital, which includes both basic studies on the causes of a variety of illnesses and the development and evaluation of improved diagnostics and new treatment methods. More information about the Department of Medical Sciences can be found at www.medsci.uu.se

Project description: We are currently looking for an ambitious to-be PhD student with a solid background in bioinformatics, data science and AI, to the research group of Assoc. Professor Kim Kultima. The candidate will join an interdisciplinary team of researchers working on state-of-the-art computational methods for data intensive computing with a focus on precision medicine. The focus of the project is to develop and apply methods for analyzing data from large-scale high-throughput mass spectrometry data for precision medicine in multiple sclerosis. This includes analysis of data measured in case-control cohorts in multiple sclerosis, with a special focus on how circulating lipids combined with knowledge about lifestyle, risk genes and other factors linked to disease progression and therapy outcomes, can ultimately lead to improved treatment strategies tailored for the individual patient. This includes using and developing unsupervised and supervised learning methods (AI/ML) through the integration of data from circulating molecules with data from health registries, genetic analyses and lifestyle information.

You will be working closely together with bioinformaticians, technicians, chemists, mass spectrometry experts and preclinical and clinical researchers. The project is a collaboration with the Burman group at Uppsala University. The project is funded through FORMAS, Marianne och Marcus Wallenbergs Foundation and Swedish Society for Medical Research.

Further information on the activity of the research groups can be found at:
http://www.caramba.clinic and https://neuro.uu.se/research/research-groups/neurology/projects/autologous-hematopoietic-stem-cell-transplantation-for-ms/

Qualifications: The highly motivated candidate should have a MSc in data science, bioinformatics, or equivalent field. Those getting their degree in the spring 2021 are also welcome to apply. Documented experience in data science, scripting using R/phyton and statistical and bioinformatics analyses of -omics data is also required. The candidate should have excellent communication skills and be keen on actively interacting with other team members including experimentalists, bioinformaticians, healthcare staff, and researchers in AI/ML. Excellent skills in oral and written English are required. Positive recommendations from previous supervisors/teachers are also a requirement.

We will attach great importance to personal suitability. Consideration will be given to good collaboration ability and drive, as well as how the applicant, through his or her experience and competence, is judged to complement and strengthen the ongoing research work within the research group and contribute to its future development.

Additional requirements: Previous experience in using HPC/cloud-based methods for processing and analyzing large-scale data is considered a strong merit.

Application procedure: The application should include 1) a letter of intent describing yourself, your research interests and motivation of why you want to do a PhD, 2) a short description of your education, 3) a CV, 4) a copy of your master degree and course grades, 5) the names and contact information (address, email address, and phone number) of at least two reference persons, 6) relevant publications (including master thesis). The application should be written in English.

Salary: According to local agreements for PhD students at Uppsala University.

Starting date: 01-05-2021 or as otherwise agreed.

Type of employment: Temporary position according to the Higher Education. Ordinance chapter 5 § 7.

Scope of employment: 100 %.

For further information about the position please contact: Kim Kultima, kim.kultima@medsci.uu.se

Please submit your application by 8 April 2021, UFV-PA 2021/1020.

Please do not send offers of recruitment or advertising services.

Submit your application through Uppsala University's recruitment system.