We have a position open to lead the development and application of dynamic phenotypic screens applied to neurons differentiated from human iPS cells representing three rare diseases of the Ras pathway that affect the nervous system. The screens will be used to identify repurposable molecules with potential for rapid entry into clinical use.

The project makes use of optical probes and actuators together with high-throughput imaging and lab automation instrumentation at a facility developed by our lab. Please find more information about the EURAS consortium here and our involvement in it here.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

• Generation of neural cultures expressing optical reporters and actuators from induced pluripotent stem cell lines in high density arrayed cultures.
• Using automation infrastructure to identify robust dynamic and longitudinal phenotypes of neurons in these cultures and deriving a screening assay
• Using automation infrastructure to perform screens of a drug library on differentiated neurons from a limited number of representative lines to identify hits
• Confirming and validating hits on a neural cultures originating from a larger range of iPS cell lines
• Supervision of junior researchers and collaboration with colleagues and project partners
• Documentation and reporting

Essential qualifications

• We are primarily looking for a person who has a relevant PhD degree in cell biology, molecular neuroscience or a related field. An applicant with a Masters’ degree and fewer qualifications may alternatively be considered for a Doctoral Researcher’s position or a Project Researcher’s position. In the case of a Doctoral Researcher, the applicant is expected to apply to join a doctoral programme of the University of Turku and have the corresponding required English language qualification or exemption.
• Experience in neuronal cell biology, cell signalling methods, gene transfer methods, fluorescence microscopy and neuronal cell culture
• Experience of data analysis pipelines with ImageJ/FIJI or equivalent
• Knowledge of screening concepts and statistic methods relevant to phenotypic screens
• Good knowledge of neuronal cell biology and cell signalling
• Strong motivation, persistence, initiative and independence
• Good knowledge of written and spoken English

Desirable qualifications

• Strong publication record in international journals in the field relevant to the position
• Experience with handing, transcription-factor based differentiation and maintenance of iPS cells to neuronal lineages
• Experience with the application of lab automation infrastructure
• Generation, titer quantification and use of viral gene transfer systems (AAV & lenti)
• Experience with use of imaging-based signalling reporters and dynamic and longitudinal imaging
• Good knowledge of R, Python and/or Java
• Familiarity with 3D printing and open source hardware development
• Experience of molecular cloning and optical reporter/actuator design

Our selection criteria are based on the principle of finding the most qualified and suitable candidate for the work. In practice, this means that not only education, publications and working experience but also personal qualities, communication and motivation factors and other relevant criteria will be considered.

Duration of contract

The start of employments is negotiable, preferably in August–September 2023. The position is fixed-term for 24 months (negotiable), with an eventual possibility for an extension. A six (6) month trial period applies to the position. The qualification requirements of the positions are written in the University of Turku Rules of Procedure.

What we offer you

The salary is determined in accordance with the university salary system for teaching and research personnel and will depend on the degree and qualifications of the applicant. The salary for a Doctoral Researcher/Project Researcher will be in average 2300 – 2500 euro/month and for a Post-Doctoral Researcher in average 3300 – 3500 euro/month depending on competence and experience.

Salaried positions in Finland automatically include payments to a pension fund, unemployment funds, an extensive occupational healthcare, affordable sports services and even a holiday allowance. All these positions belong to the personnel group of teaching and research personnel and have flexible working possibilities as we support a work-life balance.

What to do next

Please submit your application through the online application system no later than 19.6.2023. Kindly use a link to the online application system https://www.utu.fi/en/university/come-work-with-us.

In addition, applications must have the following enclosures (in English):

1) motivation letter (max 1 page) focusing on your strengths related to our research topics

2) CV (max 2 pages)

3) copies of degree certificates

4) contact details for at least three referees (name, working place, e-mail address)

5) a list of publications, highlighting the five most relevant ones

In case you need help with the application process, please turn to biocityhrservices(at)utu.fi

About us

Read more about the team and their research

Turku Bioscience is an advanced research centre hosting, in a single site, research teams with expertise in high-end core facilities housed in this independent unit affiliated with both the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University. The facilities for proteomics, screening and cell imaging the most relevant to the projects and are situated either in close proximity to or within our lab space, facilitating internationally competitive science in a stimulating, highly networked international community with more than half of the personnel having an international background. The working language is English. Supercomputer facilities at the Center for Scientific Computing (csc.fi) will also be used. More details about the departmental infrastructure can be found at bioscience.fi

We value equality and diversity in our work community and encourage qualified applicants, regardless of background, to apply for our open positions. Read more about us as an employer on the “Come Work with Us!” page and the welcome services for newcomers

For further information about the position, please don’t hesitate to contact michael.courtney(at)utu.fi

Senior researcher, Postdoctoral researcher or Project researcher/Doctoral researcher to study immunoregulation in Molecular Systems Immunology Group at Turku Bioscience Centre

Our international multidisciplinary research group (https://www.btk.fi/research/molecular-systems-immunology/) led by Professor Riitta Lahesmaa is based at Turku Bioscience Centre (the Centre), BioCity Turku, Turku, Finland. We are seeking for a motivated postdoctoral researcher, senior researcher or project researcher with possibility to continue work as a doctoral researcher to pursue PhD.

Disorders in immune system and lymphocyte function lead to inflammatory diseases such as Type 1 Diabetes. Project will focus on studying the molecular mechanisms underlying immune mediated diseases aiming at enabling individualized treatment in the future.

Projects

Molecular Systems Immunology group aims at understanding the regulation of human immune system to predict, prevent and treat immune mediated disorders. We study epigenetic and transcriptional regulation of T cells and molecular mechanisms of immune mediated diseases such as Type 1 diabetes. The project is focused on studying how the novel factors we have identified influence human T cell differentiation, function and their role in autoimmune diseases and cancer. A range of methods including single-cell genomics, mass cytometry, proteomics and CRISPR-Cas9 will be used in experimental work along with computational tools to address the questions.

Description of our organization

Turku Bioscience Centre is a joint research institute of University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University. The mission of the Centre is to promote high quality research and training. The Centre has excellent state-of-the-art technology platforms and expertise in single-cell omics, NGS, epigenomics, proteomics, computational biology and high-end cell imaging and cytometry.

Qualifications
The qualification requirements of the positions are stated in the University of Turku Rules of Procedure: https://www.utu.fi/en/university/organization.

Successful candidates have:

• A relevant doctor’s degree (senior/postdoctoral researcher) or a relevant master’s degree (project researcher/doctoral researcher) e.g. in life sciences or in biomedicine
• High level of motivation, self-initiative and independency
• Excellent team work and communication skills
• Excellent language skills in English (both oral and written)
• First-rate molecular and cell biology knowledge and skills with a strong background in epigenetics and immunology.
• Strong publication record in international journals (postdoctoral researcher) at least in one of the following areas: immunology, molecular and cellular biology, autoimmunity, genetics, epigenetics.

Application

The salary is determined by the collective agreement system of the Finnish universities. These positions belong to our research personnel and the salary will be as follows: a Senior Researcher 3700 – 4300 eur/month in average, a Postdoctoral Researcher 3450 – 3800 eur/month in average and a Project Researcher 2400 – 2800 eur/month in average.

The position starts on Jan 1st, 2024 (or as agreed). The positions are initially for two years, with an optional extension. There is a trial period of six months.

The deadline for applications is Sept 17th, 2023 (23:59) or until a suitable candidate has been found. A link to the electronic application system can be found from the following link: https://www.utu.fi/en/university/come-work-with-us/open-vacancies

Please include a CV, full publication list, list of selected publications and contact information for three references in your application.
For further information please contact: Prof. Riitta Lahesmaa, e-mail: riitta.lahesmaa (at)utu.fi . Enquiries on the application procedure may be directed to HR Specialist Paula Luoma paula.luoma(at)utu.fi

We have an open senior researcher position in Prof. Riitta Lahesmaa’s molecular systems immunology group in University of Turku. The position starts at earliest on October 1st (or as agreed) and it is initially until December 31, 2024.

Turku Bioscience Centre (https://bioscience.fi) is an advanced core facility and research centre hosted jointly by University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University. The mission of the Centre is to promote high quality research and training. The Centre has excellent state-of-the-art technology platforms and expertise in single-cell omics, NGS, epigenomics, proteomics, computational biology and high-end cell imaging. We are a truly international community, with more than half of the personnel having an international background. Accordingly, the work language is English. 

Tasks

We are seeking a highly motivated senior researcher to join our international research group.

This position requires training and experience in immunology, including excellent time management and organization skills in addition to technical proficiency in genomics and omics data analysis using bioinformatics approaches and cell biology techniques. The senior researcher will be responsible for projects on understanding the epigenetic mechanisms in regulating appropriate balance of effector and regulatory T cell subsets. In addition, she/he participates in the analysis and method development. The senior researcher will also have a central role in coordinating our efforts in identifying early molecular signatures using high throughput methods in children progressing to type 1 diabetes.

Senior researcher will closely work with several research groups and he has an important role in coordinating between experimental, computational and clinical research groups in several broad research collaboration projects. Senior researcher will also participate in supervising students in the projects.

Successful candidates have

• A relevant doctor’s degree (senior/postdoctoral researcher) e.g. in life sciences or in biomedicine
• At least 5 years of postdoctoral research experience
• High level of motivation, self-initiative and independency
• Excellent team work and communication skills in English (both oral and written)
• First-rate molecular and cell biology knowledge and skills with a strong background in immunology and epigenetics.
• Strong background in genomics and transcriptomics.
• Strong publication record in international journals at least in one of the following areas: immunology, autoimmunity, epigenetics.
• Excellent skills and experience in grant and manuscript writing

Our selection criteria aim to find the most competent and suitable person for the senior researcher position. In practice this means that in addition to education also know how, scientific publications and work experience, personal qualities, communication and motivation factors and other relevant factors are considered when filling the position.

The salary is determined by the collective agreement system of Finnish universities. This position belongs to our research personnel and the salary for a Senior researcher is 3500 -4300 eur/month in average depending on experience. There is a trial period of six months.

The deadline for applications is September 17th 2023 (23:59) or until a suitable candidate has been found. The link to the system is provided at the beginning of this announcement (“Apply for the job”) and can also be found at utu.fi/career. Please include a motivation letter (a page), curriculum vitae (max two pages), full publication list and contact information for three references in your application.

For further information on please contact: Prof. Riitta Lahesmaa, e-mail: riitta.lahesmaa (at) utu.fi. Enquiries on the application procedure may be directed to HR Specialist Paula Luoma paula.luoma (at) utu.fi