PhD-position/PhD candidate

A fully-funded full-time PhD-position in computational cancer biology is available at the Department of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, in Oslo, Norway. The position is for 3 years and is part of the Cancer Biology in Silico project group, led by Dr. Chloé B. Steen (https://ous-research.no/cbs).

The group develops and applies state-of-the-art computational methods to discover clinically relevant cell states and their microenvironments, with a focus on cancer survival and treatment resistance. The PhD candidate will contribute to the ECHO project, “Ecotyping the Cancer stem cell niche of High‑grade Ovarian cancer”, which aims to computationally resolve the cancer stem cell niche in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC) using large-scale bulk, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomics data. The project is funded by the Norwegian Cancer Society, and is in collaboration with international partners at the University of Helsinki in Finland.

The physical workplace will be at the Department of Medical Genetics, Section for Research and Development. In early 2027, the Department will move to the new Life Science Building at the University of Oslo, Norway’s largest and most modern life science research facility, bringing the PhD candidate into a vibrant environment with more than 2,500 life science researchers and core facilities for single-cell and spatial omics.

The Department of Medical Genetics at Oslo University Hospital is Norway’s largest medical genetics department with over 200 employees. The department is responsible for diagnostics of rare and inherited diseases, and runs a national research infrastructure for high-throughput DNA sequencing at the Norwegian Consortium for Sequencing and Personalized Medicine (www.norseq.org). The research section in the department has 7 research groups (www.ous-research.no/meg/) working in various fields of medical genetics, including breast cancer, the genetics of autoimmune, neurological, cardiovascular and psychiatric disorders, epigenetics causes of disease, as well as groups focusing on bioinformatics. Oslo University Hospital is a workplace with great diversity. We believe this is crucial for solving our tasks in the best possible way. We want this diversity to be reflected among the applicants for our positions, and we encourage all qualified candidates, regardless of background, to apply!

Job describtion

The successful candidate will enroll in a PhD program at the University of Oslo and will be a member of the Cancer Biology in Silico group. The PhD degree is planned over three years of full-time research.

The PhD candidate will:

• Analyze large-scale bulk RNA‑seq data from hundreds of HGSC samples in the DECIDER patient cohort using tools developed by the group.
• Work with single-cell RNA‑seq data to define cell states associated with relapse and chemotherapy resistance.
• Integrate high-resolution spatial transcriptomics data to predict and characterize the spatial cancer stem cell niche and its microenvironmental interactions.

The work will be conducted in close collaboration with international partners, including the University of Helsinki (Finland), and will be supported by extensive computational and sequencing infrastructure (Educloud, HPC, secure platforms for sensitive data, in‑house Visium CytAssist and sequencing).

Qualifications

Required:

• Master’s degree in computational biology, bioinformatics, molecular biology with strong quantitative skills, or a related field.
• Programming experience in at least one relevant language (e.g. Python, R, Bash).
• Good command of written and spoken English.

Considered as advantage:

• Experience with large‑scale data analysis, including handling and visualization of high‑dimensional datasets.
• Familiarity with version control tools (e.g. Git).
• Experience with analysis of transcriptomics data, especially single‑cell and/or spatial transcriptomics.
• Prior work in cancer- omics analysys, tumor microenvironment, or related areas.
• Experience in implementing bioinformatics pipelines and tools.
• Experience with high‑performance computing environments and working on Linux servers.

Experience with all the above is not expected; training will be provided, but genuine interest in computational cancer research and willingness to learn advanced methods is essential.

Admission to PhD program

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD program at the Medical Faculty of the University of Oslo within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD program during the employment period. (https://www.med.uio.no/english/research/phd/application/how-to-apply/)

Grade requirements, the norm is as follows:

• The average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system.
• The average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system.
• The Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system.

Personal qualities

We seek a candidate who is:

• Highly motivated, well organized, and dynamic, with a strong drive to complete a PhD within the expected timeframe.
• A team player who thrives in a multidisciplinary and international environment.
• Proactive, flexible, and solution‑oriented, with good communication skills for presenting results to both scientific collaborators and user representatives.

We offer

• A stimulating, international, and multidisciplinary research environment where quality, professionalism, and team spirit are emphasized.
• The opportunity to work on a scientifically ambitious, high‑impact PhD project using cutting‑edge multi‑omics data (bulk, single‑cell, and spatial transcriptomics) and state‑of‑the‑art computational methods (CIBERSORTx, EcoTyper, CytoSPACE, CytoTRACE 2, ...).
• Close supervision and mentoring by the project group leader and a strong team of national and international collaborators with expertise in computational biology, systems oncology, and translational cancer research.
• Access to state‑of‑the‑art computational and experimental infrastructure, including national HPC resources, secure platforms for handling sensitive data (TSD), and in‑house single‑cell and spatial transcriptomics facilities.
• Salary in agreement with the current collective agreement and qualifications/experience, with favorable pension and welfare arrangements.
• Possibility for extending the contract if funds are available.

How to apply: The application must be submitted electronically through the Webcruiter portal and must include:

• Cover letter (1--2 pages) describing your motivation for pursuing a PhD, how your background fits the position, and your career goals.
• Curriculum vitae (CV), including a publication list if applicable.
• Copies of diplomas, transcripts, and grades from higher education.
• Contact information for two to three referees (preferably including at least one academic supervisor).
• The best qualified candidates will be invited for interviews.

Links

Department of Medical Genetics: https://www.ous-research.no/meg/

Cancer Biology in Silico project group: https://ous-research.no/cbs

Norwegian Consortium for Sequencing and Personalized Medicine: https://www.norseq.org/

How to apply for admission to the PhD programme: https://www.med.uio.no/english/research/phd/application/how-to-apply/