PhD position in systems biology (Zampieri Lab)

Your position

The candidate will have the opportunity to exploit some of the cutting-edge experimental and computational methods, comprising constraint-based and kinetic modeling, statistical analysis of large datasets, high-throughput metabolomics, time-lapse microscopy, to investigate how to pharmacologically interfere with fundamental mechanisms in the regulation of cancer metabolism. Available resources at the department include a mouse facility, high-end FACS, IT and microscopy facilities, the Life Sciences Training Facility (for gene expression and proteome profiling) and much more.
The candidate is expected to have a strong background and interest in quantitative disciplines, excellent teamwork and communication skills in English. The candidate will have the opportunity to develop the following project with a lot of academic freedom and strong support from senior members in the lab, and at the same time to play an active role in shaping and creating inspiring research and working environment.
In line with our and Uni Basel values (https://www.unibas.ch/en/Research/Values-Ethics/Diversity-and-Inclusion.html), we are committed to sustain and promote an inclusive culture, ensure equal opportunities and value diversity and respect in our working and learning environment.
We are looking for a highly motivated doctoral researcher to develop new metabolomics strategy to advance and speed up anti-cancer drug discovery.
Your main tasks will be:

• Developing new strategies to combine high-throughput metabolomics with 3D cell culture models
• Perform large chemical and genetic studies in cancer cell lines derived spheroids
• Develop predictive model of drug response by comparing 2D to 3D cellular systems
• Testing and validating the relevance of such models in patient tumour specimens
• Support and preparation of scientific reports and journal articles



Your profile

• Master's degree in (Bio-)Physics, (Bio-)Engineering, Biological Sciences, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Systems Biology, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics/Computational Biology, or related fields.
• Experience in designing and running experiments with 2D and 3D (organoids, spheroids) cell cultures in the laboratory.
• Experience in basic statistical approaches for the analysis of large datasets.
• Hands-on experience with key biochemical and molecular biological methods.
• Motivation to work in an international research environment.
• Experience with and/or motivation to learn systems biology approaches, high-throughput methodologies, analysis of single cell imaging data.
• Experience with programming language (e.g. Matlab, R or Python).
• Excellent communication skills.
• Any of the following will be a plus: Experience with mass spectrometry.
• Experience with the analysis of metabolomics data.
• Interest in mathematical modelling of metabolic and regulatory/signalling network.

We offer you

• You will have access to state-of-the-art research equipment in metabolomics, cell biology, time-lapse microscopy and single cell analysis. 
• You will work in a dynamic and highly interdisciplinary team including computer scientists, experimentalists and clinicians.
• You will be involved in cross-disciplinary collaborations and have training opportunities to further develop and grow your scientific interests.
• Access to a large consortium of experts in different disciplines, such chemistry, engineering, clinics, computational biology and Micro-, Cell- and Immunobiology. 
• Opportunity to work in close contact with other basic- and clinical-research groups at the Department of Biomedicine and the Biozentrum in Basel.
• Support from highly competent, experienced team members and potential to lead projects with a high degree of academic freedom.