Doctoral Researcher, FIMM

The Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM) is an international research unit focusing on human genomics and personalised medicine at the Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE) of the University of Helsinki - a leading Nordic university with a strong commitment to life science research. As part of Academic Medical Center Helsinki in Meilahti campus FIMM collaborates locally with the Faculty of Medicine, Helsinki University Hospital and National Institute for Health and Welfare. FIMM is part of the Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, composed of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the centres for molecular medicine in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and the EU-LIFE Community.

FIMM is currently seeking two outstanding candidates for the position of  

Doctoral researchers for in-silico drug repurposing

Description of the position:

The Computational Systems Medicine  research group led by Dr. Tero Aittokallio focuses on developing and applying integrated computational-experimental approaches to precision medicine. Dr. Zia ur Rehman (principal investigator and senior researcher in the Aittokallio's group) is seeking two motivated doctoral researchers for his Academy of Finland project. The candidates should have strong computational skills and an interest in implementing and applying machine learning and network-based approaches for AI-based drug repurposing through analyzing drug-target interactions, adverse reactions, structural and multi-omics data from pre-clinical and clinical resources.

The researchers will also receive support from a multi-center EU consortium, REMEDI4ALL , a European-level ecosystem that facilitates fast and cost-effective patient-centric implementation of repurposed medicines, meeting unmet medical needs in any disease area, but with a specific focus on cancer. This project will provide the candidates with possibilities to network and learn from the experts in the drug repurposing field.

Qualifications and experience:

A successful candidate holds a Master's degree in a suitable field (computer science, bioinformatics, or similar field), excellent computational and programming skills, and a background in machine learning. The candidates should be fluent in English. Previous experience in drug repurposing is considered an advantage. The successful candidate must have a right to pursue studies leading to a doctoral degree from the Helsinki University, or this right must be successfully applied for during the trial period.

What can we offer?

• An international and dynamic working environment
• Access to unique and high-quality data resources 
• Flexible working hours and experienced supervision 
• Possibility to travel and collaborate in the EU project 

Salary and contract:

Initially, one year contract is available for the positions, starting from January 1, 2023, with a possibility for two years extension pending successful review. There will be a trial period of 6 months. The salary will be commensurate with qualifications based on the university salary system depending on the researcher's credentials, previous experience, and performance. The normal starting salary is 2100-2500 euros.

How to apply:

The application deadline is September 22, 2022. Applications are submitted through the University of Helsinki recruitment system via the “Apply” link below and submitting a motivation letter, CV, and a summary of previous research experience as a single PDF file (max six pages) in English.

Contact Zia  ur Rehman ([email protected] ) for further information about the position.