Postdoctoral scholarship (2 years) within translational pancreatic cancer biomarker research

The Department of Diagnostics and Intervention is offering a postdoctoral scholarship within the project “Novel biomarkers for personalized pancreatic cancer treatment” in Oskar Franklin’s research group. The research group is part of the Northern Sweden Pancreatic Network, a research network of national and international clinicians and researchers interested in pancreatic cancer and pancreatic disease. The scholarship is full-time for two years with access from August 17, 2026, or by agreement.

Project description

To improve outcomes in pancreatic cancer, there is a critical need to personalize cancer care based on tumor biology. This postdoctoral scholarship is connected to a research project that aims to identify new biomarkers that forecast survival and treatment response, and to understand their functional roles. The project investigates protein expression, functional characteristics, and biomarker potential of a number of candidate genes identified in previous studies.

The project encompasses the study of protein levels in tissue microarrays constructed from surgical specimens, as well as the measurement of corresponding protein levels in biobanked blood samples. It also includes opportunities to explore how these genes influence pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion using over‑expression and knockdown approaches in cultured cells and organoids. Understanding the functional aspects of these genes may open new possibilities for treatments that target their signalling pathways.

The research is carried out within the Translational Research Center at Umeå University, located at Norrlands Universitetssjukhus, offering a collaborative and inspiring environment where basic and clinical research naturally meet.

The postdoctoral fellow will have the opportunity to:

• Develop skills in molecular and cellular analysis techniques
• Deepen their expertise in translational cancer research and biomarker discovery
• Strengthen their scientific independence while contributing to an interdisciplinary academic environment

Qualifications

Postdoctoral scholarships aim to promote internationalization and contribute to further research qualifications after obtaining doctoral degree or its equivalent.

To qualify as a postdoctoral scholarship holder, the postdoctoral fellow is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree. The degree must be from a university outside Sweden. This qualification requirement must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the decision about scholarship recipient.

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 organisations, military service or similar circumstances, as well as clinical practice or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area. 

Doctoral degree should be within molecular biology, cancer biology, biomedical sciences, pathology, or a related field.

Additional requirements are:

• advanced skills in written and spoken English

Meriting criteria are:

• Experience with in‑situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, or antibody‑based protein detection,
• Experience with imaging analysis software (e.g. QuPath)
• Experience with cell culture and molecular techniques, including CRISPR-Cas9.

We are looking for candidates with an interest in translational cancer research—particularly biomarker discovery and tumour biology—who show motivation to develop as independent researchers in a multidisciplinary environment.

Application

The application should be written in English or Swedish, and attached documents should be in Word or PDF format. The application should be registered via Umeå University’s e-recruitment system Varbi and submitted by the deadline April 1, 2026.

A full application should include:

• Cover letter describing how your previous research experience aligns with the advertised project,
• Curriculum vitae (CV) with publication list,
• Verified copy of doctoral degree certificate or documentation that clarifies when the degree of doctor is expected to be obtained,
• Verified copies of other diplomas, list of completed academic courses and grades,
• Copy of doctoral thesis,
• Other documents that the applicant wishes to claim.
•  Contact information to two persons willing to act as references.

Further information

For further information, please contact Oskar Franklin, M.D., Ph.D. oskar.franklin@umu.se

We look forward to receiving your application!