The Department of Molecular Biology is offering a postdoctoral scholarship within the project "Liquid biopsy-nanoantibodies based precision medicine for cancer diagnosis and treatment.", in the laboratory of professor Jenny Persson. The scholarship is full-time for two years with access 1 Febuary 2026 or by agreement. The deadline is 8 January 2026.
Departmental specific information
The department provides a vibrant interfaculty research environment and there is access to a wide range of state-of-the-art imaging, metabolomics, genomics and screening facilities.
Project Description
Metastatic cancer of various cancer types is characterized by rapid progression and low 5-year survival rates driven mainly by high frequency of bone metastases. Early detection of metastases could dramatically improve survival rates. Liquid biopsies, which involve obtaining circulating tumour cells (CTCs), cancer cell free-mRNA and DNA from blood, offer a minimally invasive approach for early diagnosis and disease monitoring cancer progression and treatment response. However, the current capture methods lack sensitivity and often provide limited molecular information.
In this project we will explore molecularly imprinted nanoparticle (nanoMIP) protein binders and mRNA and DNA probes that are specifically for cancer cells to capture and bind specific surface marker EpCAM and cancer cell-specific glycoproteins and molecules as novel liquid biopsy tools.
The nano-antibodies-captured cancer cells will also be subjected to droplet microfluidics, one of the most promising high-throughput methods for effectively processing the MIP-probe-positive individual cells for RNAseq analysis by using our standard pipeline. We will also apply our well-established single-cell RNAseq and proteomics to further obtain cancer genomic and proteomic data and genomic and proteomic data from immune cells for patient subtype-stratification.
We will finally use cutting-edge bioinformatics data science and AI tools developed in-house to analyze and integrate RNAseq and proteomics results from the cancer cells isolated from the blood-based liquid biopsies. The study will unravel relationships between cancer-specific RNA and protein expression to reveal new understandings of cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
The project will be conducted through interdisciplinary collaborations with the partner teams and will integrate clinical and preclinical tumor biology with chemistry with focus on biomarker discovery and validation. The study will translate our technologies to the advancement of precision oncology.
Qualifications
The post-doctoral fellow is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degreeequivalent to a doctoral degree in Biotechnologies, Cancer Biology, Molecular Medicine, Bioinformatics, or biochemistry. This qualification requirement must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the decision about scholarship recipient.
Preference will be given to highly motivated applicants who can operate independently while contributing effectively to a collaborative group environment. The candidates with a solid background in practical experience in experimental laboratory work is essential. Practical work in tumor and microscopic imaging technologies is expected, and applications in animal models and cell experiments are the advantage. Preference will be given to applicants with interdisciplinary experience directly related to the tumor biology and omics technologies. The applicant must have strong scientific writing and presentation skills in English.
Priority should be given to candidates who completed their doctoral degree, according to what is stipulated in the paragraph above, no later than three years prior. If there are special reasons, candidates who completed their doctoral degree before that may also be eligible. Special reasons include absence due to illness, parental leave, appointments of trust in trade union organizations, military service, or similar circumstances, or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area.
Application
The application should include:
1. A cover letter with description of the applicant’s research experience, research interests and motivation for the application.
2. Curriculum vitae including a relevant publication list.
3. Copy of relevant degrees with certifications.
4. Copies of PhD thesis work.
5. Contact information for two reference persons.
The application should be written in English or Swedish, and attached in Word or PDF format. The application should be registered via Umeå University’s e-system Varbi and submitted by the deadline 8 January 2026.
