Research Specialist – Translational Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Proteomics Full-time NEW

Research Specialist – Translational Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Proteomics

Do you want to contribute to improving human health?

Karolinska Institutet, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Lehtiö research group

At the Department of Oncology-Pathology, basic, translational, clinical research, and educational activities related to cancer are carried out. Approximately 300 people from over 40 nations are currently working at the department. About 30 research groups with various cancer research profiles are involved, and we have around 110 PhD students. The Department of Oncology-Pathology is responsible for undergraduate courses in pathology, oncology, and forensic medicine for medical students, as well as for tumor biology courses for biomedicine students and pathology courses for opticians. The Lehtiö research group is a translational group of scientists with a drive to improve human proteome analysis by developing new methods that can be applied to improve personalized cancer treatment.

Description of the Subject Area

The position will be placed in the Cancer proteomics Mass spectrometry research group headed by Professor Janne Lehtiö at Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab). Karolinska Institutet is one of the four founding universities for SciLifeLab, which is today a national infrastructure and research center in technology driven life sciences. Lehtiö group is a translational group of scientists with a drive to improve human proteome analysis by developing new methods that can be applied to improve personalized cancer treatment. At present, we seek to strengthen our leukemia research team headed by Dr. Rozbeh Jafari with an outstanding research specialist with proven expertise in translational leukemia proteomics and mass spectrometry–based multi-omics analysis, with a particular focus on Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). The employment is a fixed-term position of one year. We offer a very stimulating and diverse work environment in a team of highly motivated co-workers with expertise in cutting-edge technology.

Your Mission

We are seeking a highly motivated research specialist with strong expertise in translational Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) proteomics and mass spectrometry–based multi-omics analysis, and a demonstrated interest in understanding mechanisms of drug response and resistance in ALL. The successful candidate will play a central role in designing, executing, and interpreting large-scale proteomic, phosphoproteomic, and protein-drug interaction profiling studies in ALL, with a particular focus on antimetabolite therapies, signaling networks, and biomarker discovery.

Tasks for the position:

• Design and conduct quantitative proteomics and phosphoproteomics studies in leukemia cell lines and primary patient samples using state-of-the-art LC-MS/MS workflows
• Apply thermal proteome profiling–based approaches, including Proteome Integral Solubility Alteration (PISA), CETSA, and related methods, to study drug–protein interactions and mechanisms of action.
• Integrate drug sensitivity testing, proteomics, transcriptomics, and clinical data to identify molecular determinants of therapeutic response and resistance
• Lead and develop projects focused on mechanisms of action of cytotoxic therapies in ALL, including functional perturbation experiments (siRNA/shRNA) to support mechanistic findings
• Apply and develop computational and statistical methods for multi-omics data analysis, including pathway-level and systems biology approaches
• Interpret complex datasets in a biological and translational context, linking molecular findings to leukemia biology and clinical relevance
• Prepare high-quality manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals
• Contribute to supervision and mentoring of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers
• Support grant applications and contribute to national and international research collaborations

Eligibility Requirements

For employment as Research Specialist at Karolinska Institutet, the eligibility requirements stated in the Guidelines for non-teaching positions at Karolinska Institutet are applied in relation to the established profile of employment.

To be eligible for employment as a Research Specialist, in addition to holding a Degree of Doctor, PhD, or having a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a Swedish doctoral degree, the applicant must have demonstrated research expertise as well as have documented postdoctoral research experience.

Assessment Criteria

It is particularly meritorious that the applicant has shown

• PhD in cancer biology, systems biology, proteomics or a closely related discipline
• Several years of postdoctoral or equivalent research experience focused on Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
• Strong scientific foundation in cancer biology with extensive expertise in molecular and cellular biology techniques relevant to ALL research
• Documented expertise in mass spectrometry–based proteomics, including quantitative proteomics and/or phosphoproteomics
• Experience with thermal proteome profiling approaches, such as CETSA, TPP, PISA, or related target engagement methodologies.
• Strong experience in drug sensitivity testing and pharmacological response analysis
• Practical experience with functional perturbation methods, including siRNA and/or shRNA-based gene silencing
• Strong experience with multi-omics data integration, including analysis of drug response, transcriptomic, and proteomic datasets
• Demonstrated knowledge of ALL biology and translational leukemia research using cell lines and clinical samples
• Proven ability to independently drive complex research projects from experimental design to publication
• Experience working in interdisciplinary research environments bridging biology, clinical research, and data analysis
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken
• Strong communication skills and ability to present complex results clearly

It is meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Experience working with ALL cell lines and primary ALL patient samples
• Familiarity with antimetabolite therapies and mechanisms of cellular stress responses
• Experience with pathway-, network-, and systems-level analyses in cancer research
• Knowledge of drug metabolism, translational control, or proteostasis-related pathways
• Experience contributing to or coordinating large collaborative proteomics or multi-omics projects
• Teaching or mentoring experience in proteomics, bioinformatics, or cancer biology
• Experience of acquiring research funding in open competition as main applicant or co-applicant

Since the position involves close interaction with several researchers in different fields, emphasis is placed on personal skills such as:

-Very good collaborative skills

-Excellent communication skills and analytical skills.

After an overall assessment of the expertise and merits of the applicants in relation to the subject area, Karolinska Institutet will determine which of them has the best potential to contribute to a positive development of the activities at KI.

What Do We Offer?

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Here, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. At KI, you get to meet researchers working with a wide range of specialisms and methods, giving you ample opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with the various scientific fields within medicine and health. It is the crossover collaborations, which have pushed KI to where it is today, at the forefront of global research. Several of the people you meet in healthcare are educated at KI. A close relationship with the health care providers is important for creating groundbreaking top quality education and research. Karolinska Institutet is also a state university, which entitles you to several benefits through our collective agreement.

Location: Solna

Dr. Rozbeh Jafari's Research team Choose to work at KI – Ten reasons why

Application

We prefer that your application is written in English, but you can also apply in Swedish. An application must contain the following documents: PhD certificate, resumé, qualifications and description of planned research, presented in accordance with Karolinska Institutet's qualifications portfolio.

The application must be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system. At the latest 6 April.

The employment is a fixed-term position of one year.