PhD Position

About the position 

Applications are invited for a 100% full-time, 3-year PhD Research Fellowship position based at the Oral Physiology and Cancer Research Group (OPCG) at the Institute of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo (UiO), Norway.

More about the position / Project description

Project title:  “Tumor-host interaction in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)”

It is becoming increasingly clear that the development and progression of cancer, including OSCC, involves not only genetic/epigenetic abnormalities in the cancer cells but also requires a mutual interplay between the tumor cells and adjacent stromal cells such as fibroblasts, muscle cells, immune cells, and endothelial cells (tumor-host interactions). The current project aims to understand the influence of invading oral cancer cells on skeletal muscle. Molecular profile of the infiltrated skeletal muscle cells together with the functional roles and prognostic significance of selected miRNA/proteins will be investigated. The current project will employ high throughput analyses methods such as transcriptomic and proteomic profiling. In addition, 2D and 3D cell culture models will be used.

Qualification requirements

• Applicants must hold a Master’s degree equivalent to a Norwegian Master’s degree in dentistry, molecular biology or in a field relevant to the research project
• The Master’s thesis must have a grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system
• Candidates with a dental degree/strong knowledge on cancer/oral cancer biology will be preferred
• Good written and oral proficiency in English and Norwegian (or another Scandinavian language) 

 

Experience in the following methods will be advantageous:

• Immunohistochemical/immunofluorescence techniques, as well as cell culturing techniques
• Molecular biology techniques and digital image analysis
• Analysis of high-throughput datasets (RNA seq, proteomic data)
• Publications in international peer-reviewed scientific journals

Personal skills 

• Ability to work independently and in an interdisciplinary scientific environment
• Self-motivation, creativity, genuine curiosity about the subject, work discipline, professional ethics, and ambition
• Strong practical and analytical skills
• Good social and collaboration skills
• High drive for science
• The candidate is expected to initiate collaborations with PhD, and/or Master's and Bachelor's students in the specialty area

 

Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications.

 Selection criteria 

 Required selection criteria 

• To be admitted to the PhD programmes at the University of Oslo, an applicant must have a five year Master's degree or equivalent studies that have been recognised by the faculty as forming a sufficient basis for admission 
• The Faculties may stipulate additional admission requirements

• To be employed as a PhD Research Fellow, admission to a doctoral program is required, or there must be a binding agreement for admission. Normally, one must apply for admission to a PhD program within 3 months after the start of the research project leading to the PhD degree
• The fellowship requires admission to the PhD program at the Faculty of Dentistry

We need different perspectives in our work 

UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.

We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues—could you be the next one?

We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.

 

If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps (Norwegian), we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).

The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports.

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

We hope you will apply for the position with us. 

We offer 

• Exciting and meaningful tasks in an organization with an important societal mission, contributing to knowledge development, education, and enlightenment that promote sustainable, fair, and knowledge-based societal development.
• Committed colleagues in a good working environment. 
• Good welfare schemes.
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours.
• A workplace with good development and career opportunities. 
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Salary in position as Doctoral Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK from 551 000 to 605 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.

 

Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

Application

Your application should include:

• Application letter
• CV
• A complete list of publications
• Transcripts and certificates
• Contact information for 2-3 references

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position".

When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your transcripts or grades. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.

General information

The best qualified candidates will be invited for interviews. 

Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian),  Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.

The appointment is carried out in accordance with the principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technology and services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.