Doctoral (PhD) student position in decoding bone metastasis

at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

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Salary

Not given in the advert

Closing date

Open until filled

Start

Not given in the advert

Type of post

Research

First seen

8 November 2026, on a public job listing

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The advert

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research? To be a doctoral student means to devote oneself to a research project under supervision of experienced researchers and following an individual study plan. For a doctoral degree, the equivalent of four years of full-time doctoral education is required. The research group The Baryawno laboratory is located at Bio Clinicum in Stockholm and affiliated with the Division of Pediatric Oncology and Pediatric Surgery, Dept of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet. The Baryawno laboratory consists of 2 Ph.D. students and a postdoc, and is now expanding. The focus of our research is to increase our biological understanding of highly metastatic embryonal tumor neuroblastoma, to develop new therapies leading to better survival, less side effects and increased quality of life. We are applying basic, translational and clinical approaches in our research including, single cell technologies, bioinformatics, immunology and molecular biology as well as functional analysis and development of preclinical animal- and in vitro-models. The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student This is a four-year, in vivo–intensive doctoral project within the research programme “Decoding the metastatic cascade to bone”. In high-risk neuroblastoma, roughly half of patients present with bone marrow metastases at diagnosis and relapse in bone is almost invariably fatal, yet no approved therapy targets the mechanisms that allow tumour cells to colonise and persist in the bone niche. The project aims to resolve, at clonal, spatial and functional levels, which tumour clones seed bone, how the bone niche directs their fate, and which niche-dependent vulnerabilities can be targeted therapeutically. The project relies heavily on advanced in vivo experimentation, and the doctoral student will spend a large part of the project working with mouse models of metastasis. The student will combine cell-barcode lineage tracing with single-cell RNA-seq and in vivo CRISPR activation screens to identify and functionally validate metastasis-driving clones and genes; map and dissect pre-metastatic niche remodelling by collecting bone marrow at early timepoints from xenograft-bearing mice; and perform in vivo CRISPR loss-of-function screens in bone-metastasising xenografts to uncover niche-specific vulnerabilities. Through the project the student will gain hands-on expertise in in vivo mouse work (subcutaneous, orthotopic and intracardiac tumour cell injection, bioluminescence imaging), organoid/tumoroid culture, cell barcoding, CRISPR screening, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and the associated bioinformatics, and is expected to drive this work towards several first-author publications. The doctoral candidate will be mentored by Dr Baryawno and work closely with co-supervisors Dr. Kasper Karlsson, Professor Daniel Bexell, Dr. Jakob Stenman and Dr. Thale Olsen. More information on the work from the lab can be found in recent publications (Baryawno et al., Cell 2019; Kfoury, Baryawno et al., Cancer Cell 2021; Alchahin et al., Nature Communications 2022; Mei et al., JCI Insight 2023; Olsen et al., Molecular Cancer 2024). What do we offer? A creative and inspiring environment full of expertise and curiosity. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Our vision is to pursue the development of knowledge about life and to promote a better health for all. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. As a doctoral student you are offered an individual research project, a well-educated supervisor, a vast range of elective courses and the opportunity to work in a leading research group. Karolinska Institutet collaborates with prominent universities from all around the world, which ensures opportunities for international exchanges. You will be employed on a doctoral studentship which means that you receive a contractual salary. Employees also have access to our modern gym for free and receive reimbursements for medical care. Eligibility requirements for doctoral education In order to participate in the selection for a doctoral position, you must meet the following general (A) and specific (B) eligibility requirements at latest by the application deadline. It is your responsibility to certify eligibility by following the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education. A) General eligibility requirement You meet the general eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you: - have been awarded a second-cycle/advanced/master qualification (i.e. master degree), or - have satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the advanced/second-cycle/master level, or - have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.* Follow the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education. *If you claim equivalent knowledge, follow the instructions on the web page Assessing equivalent knowledge for general eligibility for doctoral education. B) Specific eligibility requirement You meet the specific eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you: - Show proficiency in English equivalent to the course English B/English 6 at Swedish upper secondary school. Follow the instructions on the web page English language requirements for doctoral education. Verification of your documents Karolinska Institutet checks the authenticity of your documents. Karolinska Institutet reserves the right to revoke admission if supporting documents are discovered to be fraudulent. Submission of false documents is a violation of Swedish law and is considered grounds for legal action. (A) and (B) can only be certified by the documentation requirement for doctoral education. Skills and personal qualities We are looking for a highly motivated candidate for an in vivo–intensive doctoral project in which the applicant will spend a large part of the time working with mouse models. Documented hands-on experience with preclinical in vivo mouse models of cancer is therefore a merit, and the candidate must be willing and able to perform and learn animal procedures (e.g. subcutaneous, orthotopic and intracardiac tumour cell injection, minor surgery and bioluminescence imaging). A completed laboratory animal science course giving eligibility to work with and plan animal experiments (e.g. FELASA) is a strong merit but not a requirement. Documented experience in paediatric and/or neuronal cancers such as neuroblastoma, and a solid background in molecular and cell biology, are highly meritorious. Experience with organoid/tumoroid culture, CRISPR screening, single-cell RNA-seq, spatial transcriptomics, flow cytometry or bioinformatics is a benefit but not essential. The ability to work with people of different backgrounds and contribute to a project team is important. Applicants must have good communication skills in English Terms and contitions The position entails employment as a doctoral student for a maximum of four years on a full-time basis. Application process Submit your application and supporting documents through the Varbi recruitment system. Use the button in the top right corner and follow the instructions. We prefer that your application is written in English, but you can also apply in Swedish. Your application must contain the following documents: - A personal letter and a curriculum vitae - Degree projects and previous publications, if any - Any other documentation showing the desirable skills and personal qualities described above - Documents certifying your general eligibility (see A above) - Documents certifying your specific eligibility (see B above) Selection A selection will be made among eligible applicants on the basis of the ability to benefit from doctoral education. The qualifications of the applicants will be evaluated on an overall basis. Karolinska Institutet uses the following bases of assessment: - Documented subject knowledge of relevance to the area of research - Analytical skill - Other documented knowledge or experience that may be relevant to doctoral studies in the subject. All applicants will be informed when the recruitment is completed. KI applies a salary scale when setting salaries for doctoral students. https://ki.se/en/people/n-baryawno https://baryawnolab.com/ Want to make a difference? Join us and contribute to better health for all

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