PhD Scholarship in Translational Cancer Research at the University of Bern, Switzerland

Summary

The University of Bern is offering a fully funded PhD position in Translational Cancer Research, as part of an SNSF project. This scholarship provides an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Master’s graduate to contribute to cutting-edge research focused on developing new treatment strategies for solid tumors, particularly those with DNA repair alterations. The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary and multicentric team, working with patient-derived models and advanced genomic screening techniques.

Designation

PhD Student in Translational Cancer Research

Scholarship Details

This PhD position is a fixed-term employment for 3 years, with an 80-100% workload. The successful candidate will be enrolled in the Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences of the University of Bern.

Research Area

The PhD project focuses on molecularly targeted treatment strategies for solid tumors, specifically exploiting DNA repair alterations as therapeutic vulnerabilities to advance precision oncology. Key aspects include:

• Preclinical validation of newly uncovered vulnerabilities in clinically relevant patient-derived cancer models and in vivo.
• Identification of synergistic targets for combination therapies through functional genomic screening.
• Characterization of the tumor immune microenvironment of Fanconi anemia pathway-deficient cancers to nominate synergistic immunotherapy targets.

Location

Bern, Switzerland

Eligibility/Qualification

Candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Master’s degree (MSc) in Molecular Life Sciences (Cell and Molecular Biology or Biochemistry/Chemical Biology), Biomedical Sciences, molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, or a related field, completed by the starting date.
• Ideally, at least one full year of lab experience.
• Solid practical experience in mammalian cell culture (experience with 3D organoids is an advantage).
• Experience in standard molecular biology and imaging techniques (western blotting, immunofluorescence, qPCR, optical microscopy). Experience with confocal microscopy is an advantage.
• Basic skills in data analysis and statistics; familiarity with GraphPad or R is an advantage.
• Strong motivation for translational cancer research and genuine interest in bridging laboratory work and clinical questions.
• Ability to work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary and multicentric team.
• Excellent command of English, written and spoken.

Scholarship Description

The PhD student will be instrumental in a project aiming to advance precision oncology by targeting DNA repair alterations in solid tumors. The role involves a variety of tasks, including:

• Establishing, characterizing, and maintaining patient-derived cancer cell lines and 3D organoids.
• Performing in vitro efficacy studies and mechanistic validation experiments using various assays.
• Designing and carrying out genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 synthetic lethality screens.
• Analyzing screening and sequencing data using established bioinformatics pipelines.
• Performing confocal and multiplexed immunofluorescence microscopy.
• Contributing to in vivo xenograft experiments and histological/computational pathology characterization.
• Presenting results at national and international conferences and preparing first-author manuscripts.
• Participating in the doctoral program of the Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their application with the usual documents via email or the online “Apply” button. For inquiries regarding the position or application process, please contact PD Dr. med. Dilara Akhoundova.

Last Date for Apply

15. November 2026

Apply Link

Please submit your application via email to: dilara.akhoundovasanoyan@unibe.ch