Doctoral student in laboratory medicine

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the worlds top universities. The University has around 46 000 students and 8 500 staff based in Lund Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand explain and improve our world and the human condition.

Description of the workplace
The Experimental Oncology research group at the Division of Translational Cancer Research Lund University led by Professor Kristian Pietras is driven by the conviction that a tumour is a communicating organ consisting of several cell types that jointly develop into the deadly disease cancer. Tumors are heterogeneous and contain malignant cells with different proliferative and metastatic potential. While it is a well-established fact that the tumor microenvironment strongly contributes to a tumors growth and development we do not know much about heterogeneity within cell types in the tumor stroma. Our strategy combines high-resolution studies of basic biological concepts with advanced mouse models of cancer and exclusive clinical patient data to investigate the role of the microenvironment in cancer initiation progression and resistance to treatment.

What we offer
Lund University is a public authority which means that you will have special benefits generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension. We also have a flexitime agreement that creates good conditions for work/life balance.
Read more on the Universitys website about being a Lund University employee
Work at Lund University.

Work duties and area of responsibility
The transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß superfamily consists of more than 30 members that regulate cell fate proliferation growth arrest and apoptosis in various cell types. Our studies suggest that direct targeting of ALK1 is the most efficient means of exploiting TGF-ß signaling in stromal cells therapeutically. While ALK1 has historically been viewed as an endothelial cell-restricted receptor our recent studies have identified its expression also in immuno-suppressive macrophages. Inhibition of ALK1 improves the efficacy of immunotherapy as a result of profound alterations in the immune cell landscape. Here we will mechanistically explore the role for ALK1 at the crossroads of vascular biology and tumor immunity.

Qualifications
The requirements for the position are:

• . in a relevant field or equivalent
• Completed higher education courses in Oncology
• Experience from research in Oncology with resulting publications
• Experience from research with experimental animal models
• Experience from research employing mulitiplex immunohistochemistry

Additional qualifications for the position are:

• Completed MD education
• Experience from various educational research projects

Eligibility
Students with basic eligibility for third-cycle studies are those who- have completed a second-cycle degree- have completed courses of at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits are from second-cycle courses or- have acquired largely equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

Further information
Fixed-term employment for four years in accordance with Chapter 5 Section 7 of the Higher Education Ordinance (HF).
The position is a doctoral studentship (PhD position) full-time (100%)
with a start date of 1 September 2026 or according to agreement.

How to Apply
Applications must be submitted through the Universitys recruitment system. The application should include:

• A CV detailing qualifications and experience relevant to the position.
• A cover letter explaining the applicants suitability and motivation for the position.
• Degree certificates.
• Contact details for two referees.

The Faculty of Medicine is a part of Lund University and is responsible for education and research within medicine and healthcare. Our academic programs are closely linked with the healthcare system and are firmly anchored in the facultys strong research tradition. Our research spans a broad field within experimental preclinical research near-patient clinical research and health sciences research. The Faculty of Medicine with its 1800 employees and 2700 students in Lund and Malmö is a knowledge-intensive meeting place for students teachers and researchers from all over the world.

The Department of Laboratory Medicine is one of six departments at Lund Universitys Faculty of Medicine. We conduct leading research both broad and specialised within the field of laboratory medicine focusing on the onset of disease and how we can improve diagnostics and treatment for patients. Some of our strongest areas with world-class research deal with cancer genetics and blood.

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