PhD in 3 years: Doctoral Researcher in Nanomedicine Based Cancer Therapy

The University of Oulu is a multidisciplinary, international research university, with about 3,600 employees who produce new knowledge based on high-standards research and provide research based education to build a more sustainable, smarter, and more humane world. The University of Oulu community has about 17,000 people in total. Our northern scientific community operates globally and creates conditions for the emergence of innovations.  

We are now looking for a

Doctoral Researcher  

to the education pilot in precision cancer medicine (iCANDOC) to join us in the Vainio group, Disease Network Research unit at the Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine.

The Vainio group is a leader in the field of experimental organ/organoid biology and the team developed a panel of sophisticated tools to target complex tissue organization assembly mechanisms.

About the job

Cancer initiation and progression depend on the interplay between heterogeneous tumor cells and the surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME), consisting of various types of stromal cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). All these events are known to associate to actions of cell secreted nanovesicles (extracellular vesicles (EVs)). Our research focuses on understanding the composition and roles of such tumor derived EVs by using in vivo and ex vivo models to develop novel cancer diagnostic and targeted therapeutic.

What we offer?

• The support of an experienced and enthusiastic team of 15 people where you can share your expertise and grow as an expert.
• Wellness benefit ePassi covering sport, culture and well-being. Read more about other staff benefits.
• Development and career options of the big organization.
• Work that matters and a workplace that promotes flexibility and work-life balance. Read more about working with us.
• Our Buddy Programme and Spouse Network support you and close-ones in settling into Oulu.
• We have a HR Excellence in Research -quality label which is a recognition awarded by the European Commission for the development of researchers’ working conditions and careers.
• Finland is one of the most livable countries in the world, with a high quality of life, safety, excellent education system, and competitive economy. Read more about living in Oulu.

Who are you?

As a doctoral researcher in our group, you will participate to a team in developing EV based bioengineering technologies that aim to target drug loaded EVs to tumor cells, to eradicate them and also to provide noninvasive tumor eradication efficacy monitoring. To achieve these goals the doctoral researcher will take use of the kidney tissue engineering toolbox and the excellent infra structure to validate the therapeutic openings in preclinical models.

As a member of our group, you will access a network of multiple of national and international collaborations, which will expose you to state-of-the-art methodologies for EV research and offer cutting edge opportunities for internships, mobility, and further career development after completing the PhD in three years.

In order to succeed and enjoy the position, we expect from you:

• Master’s or equivalent degree in molecular and cell biology, embryology, developmental biology, biochemistry, biomedicine, medicine, bioinformatics, data analysis, or related fields
• Excellent capacity to work with cell culture, organoids and in vivo disease modelling with aims to translational medicine
• Interest in applying cancer genetic and epigenetic/multi-OMICs data such as EV bioinformatics and applied AI analytics on experimental and clinical data single-EV, single cell RNASeq, proteomics, spatial methods are an advantage
• Basic knowledge of cancer cell biology
• Fluent in written and spoken English language
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Full dedication on the research project and ability to meet project deadlines

We also appreciate

• Previous experience in teaching
• Please see also the requirements of the University of Oulu Graduate School (UniOGS).

Salary

Doctoral researchers selected in the pilot programme will by default be offered a three-year (36 month) fixed-term full-time employment contract by University of Oulu. These positions are available for highly motivated and talented researchers wishing to undertake and complete training for a research-focused doctoral degree, starting 1.1.2025 at the earliest. The selected applicants are expected to start their project no later than 1.2.2025. A six-month trial period is applied in the position.

The salary of the selected doctoral researchers will be paid monthly. The salary will be based on the levels 2-4 of the demand level chart for teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. In addition, a salary component based on personal work performance will be paid (maximum of 50 % of the job-specific component). Starting gross salary will be approx. 2500-2800 € per month (before taxes).

The employment contracts are based on a total working time of 1612 hours per year, which gives the doctoral researchers freedom to plan their working hours.

How to apply?

Applications, together with all relevant enclosures, should be submitted using the electronic application form by 30.9.2024 (23:59 Finnish local time). The application should be written in English and include the following:

1. Certificates/Diplomas Scanned copy of the original relevant master’s degree certificates and transcript of records and, when necessary, official translations to Finnish or English.
2. A motivation letter (max. 2 pages) summarizing applicant’s professional experience and expertise and describing why the applicant is a good fit for this position. Also, information on personal research interests, experience and career plans are valuable to provide here.
3. Curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages). A recommended CV template can be found on the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity. At the end of the CV, the applicant must include a list of peer-reviewed scientific publications with full reference details. The number of pages of the publication list doesn’t concur to the max. 2 page-limit of the CV.
4. Research plan (max. 4 pages) The research plan should mostly contain information about the planned use and expected value of EVs (which? why? how?) to tackle the research questions mentioned in the Job Description section. The ability to envision how the use of such methodologies could advance the study and use of EVs in cancer is considered an advantage. Applicants to this position are encouraged to contact Prof. Seppo Vainio and Adj. Prof. Anatoliy Samoylenko before and/or while preparing this document.
5. A valid certificate or other demonstration of language proficiency.

Only applications containing all relevant appendices and submitted through the online recruitment system will be considered. Applications received after the call deadline will not be considered.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, including people of different ages, genders, and linguistic, cultural, or minority groups.

Contact Information

For further information, please contact Professor Seppo Vainio (seppo.vainio@oulu.fi) or Adjunct Professor Anatoliy Samoylenko (anatoliy.samoylenko@oulu.fi)

1. Seppo Vainio, +358407470939