Postdoctoral Position in Bioinformatics

University of Gothenburg

Reference number: PAR 2026/274

About the University

The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 58 000 students and 6800 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

Institute of Biomedicine

The Institute of Biomedicine is involved in both research and education. In both of these areas, we focus on fundamental knowledge of the living cell – what it consists of, how it works, how its function is directed by the genetic material, and how it interacts with various kinds of micro-organisms. Using this knowledge, we try to elucidate the causes of diseases, and find new ways to diagnose and treat them.

The Institute is composed of the following four departments:

• The Department of Infectious Diseases
• The Department of Microbiology and Immunology
• The Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology
• The Department of Laboratory Medicine

At present, the institute has about 315 employees and approximately 450 million SEK in total assets.

Subject Area

Bioinformatics and cancer genetics

Subject Area Description

Somatic mutation accumulation and clonal evolution are central processes in cancer development. Through large-scale whole-genome sequencing and other high-throughput approaches, these processes can be mapped in detail, providing insights into tumor initiation, progression, and treatment response.

This position focuses on the application and development of bioinformatics methods for the analysis of genomic cancer data, including large public international datasets and patient-derived sequencing data. The project may involve, for example, studies of somatic mutational processes, clonal dynamics, tumor evolutionary history, or integrative analyses of genomic and clinical data. Analyses of non-cancer-related sequencing data may also be considered.

The work will be carried out in a research environment with strong expertise in cancer genomics, computational biology, and translational research.

Work published by the group in recent time includes:

• Elliott et al. Mechanistic basis of atypical TERT promoter mutations. Nature Communications. 2024
• Elliott et al. Base-resolution UV footprinting by sequencing reveals distinctive damage signatures for DNA-binding proteins. Nature Communications. 2023
• Boström et al. Somatic mutation distribution across tumour cohorts provides a signal for positive selection in cancer. Nature Communications. 2022
• Elias et al. Independent somatic evolution underlies clustered neuroendocrine tumors in the human small intestine. Nature Communications. 2021
• Van den Eynden et al. Lack of detectable neoantigen depletion signals in the untreated cancer genome. Nature Genetics. 2019

Duties

The postdoctoral researcher will:

• Apply and develop computational methods for the analysis of whole-genome sequencing and other NGS-based data from patients
• Design, implement, and maintain reproducible bioinformatics pipelines
• Perform statistical analyses and data visualization to identify and interpret somatic mutational patterns and genomic alterations
• Integrate genomic data with clinical and phenotypic variables when relevant
• Contribute to manuscript writing and publication in international scientific journals
• Present research findings at national and international conferences

Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for employing teaching staff are set out in Chapter 4 of the Higher Education Ordinance and in the Appointment Procedure for Teaching Posts at the University of Gothenburg.

To be eligible for appointment as a postdoc, the applicant must have:

• A doctoral degree or equivalent (must be completed before employment decision)

Priority will be given to applicants who completed their PhD within the last three years. Exceptions may be made under special circumstances such as:

• illness
• parental leave
• union responsibilities
• military service
• relevant professional service

Assessment Criteria

• Good programming skills and linux/unix experience (required)
• Knowledge of Matlab or R (highly desired)
• Experience with analysis of next-generation sequencing data (recommended)
• Experience from relevant biological fields (desirable)
• Publication record in peer-reviewed journals
• Excellent communication skills and fluency in English

Regulations for evaluation are given in Chapter 4, Section 3–4 of the Higher Education Ordinance.

Employment

• Full-time, temporary position
• Duration: 2 years with possibility of 1-year extension
• Placement: Institute of Biomedicine
• Start date: As agreed

Contact Information

Erik Larsson Lekholm, Professor
Phone: +46 31 786 6942
Email: erik.lekholm@gu.se

Application

Submit your application via the University of Gothenburg’s recruitment portal.

Your application should include:

• Cover letter (research experience + motivation)
• CV with list of publications
• Contact details of two references
• Proof of completed PhD

Application Deadline

Applications must be received by: 2026-05-20