[SocBiN] Bioinformatics industry PhD position in Stockholm "Deep learning modeling of spatial biology data for expression profile based drug repurposing"

[Erik Sonnhammer]

DDLS Industry PhD studentship in bioinformatics:
Deep learning modeling of spatial biology data for expression profile 
based drug repurposing

A new exciting opportunity is combining spatial biology with AI-driven 
modeling of gene expression responses to drug treatment in the field of 
drug repurposing. Drug repurposing involves identifying new therapeutic 
uses for existing medications, a strategy that can significantly reduce 
the time and cost required to bring a drug to market. The project will 
use AI models such as CycleGANs, that by learning from complex spatial 
gene expression profiles and cellular heterogeneity within tissues can 
predict how existing drugs might act on previously uncharacterized 
disease mechanisms or cellular subtypes. These models will be employed 
to translate spatial gene expression profiles from healthy tissues to 
disease states, and vice versa. This capability allows researchers to 
simulate the effects of drug treatments on spatially resolved gene 
expression without the need for extensive experimental data. By learning 
the underlying mappings between these domains, synthetic data will be 
generated that reflects potential drug responses, thereby enhancing the 
predictive power of our models.

This is an Industry PhD Project which is a collaboration between 
Stockholm University and Merck AB. The PhD student will be employed by 
Merck AB but registered and accepted to the PhD program at Stockholm 
University. The project will have a base in the Sonnhammer group at 
Science for Life Laboratory in Stockholm, Sweden, which is a strong 
research environment for large-scale life science research, and a joint 
physical center for a number of computational and life science groups at 
Stockholm University, KTH, and Karolinska Institutet. The research 
project will be supervised by Professor Erik Sonnhammer and Dr. Dimitri 
Guala.

Data-driven life science (DDLS) uses data, computational methods and 
artificial intelligence to study biological systems and processes at all 
levels, from molecular structures and cellular processes to human health 
and global ecosystems. The SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program 
for Data-Driven Life Science (DDLS) aims to recruit and train the next 
generation of data-driven life scientists and to create globally leading 
computational and data science capabilities in Sweden. The program is 
funded with a total of 3.3 billion SEK (about 290 M USD) over 12 years 
from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg (KAW) Foundation.

In 2025 the DDLS Research School will be expanded with the recruitment 
of 19 academic and 7 industrial PhD students. During the DDLS program 
more than 260 PhD students and 200 postdocs will be part of the Research 
School. The DDLS program has four strategic research areas: cell and 
molecular biology, evolution and biodiversity, precision medicine and 
diagnostics, epidemiology and biology of infection. For more 
information, please see scilifelab.se/data-driven/ddls-research-school/

The future of life science is data-driven. Will you be part of that 
change? Then join us in this unique program!

See ad at https://sonnhammer.org/download/ads/open.html Deadline August 15

To apply, follow the instructions on 
https://careers.merckgroup.com/global/en/job/288421/Industrial-PhD-student-in-Bioinformatics.

Thanks for spreading to potentially interested persons.

Best Regards,
___________________________________
Erik Sonnhammer, Ph.D.
Professor of Bioinformatics
DBB, Stockholm University
Science for Life Laboratory <https://www.scilifelab.se/>
Stockholm, Sweden
Email: Erik.Sonnhammer at scilifelab.se
https://sonnhammer.org
https://x.com/eriksonnhammer
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