A doctoral researcher position (PhD student) is available in the laboratory of Professor Jukka Westermarck at the Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland (https://bioscience.fi/research/cancer-cell-signaling/profile/). Turku Bioscience is a top-quality research center harboring several distinguished research groups and excellent core facilities (https://bioscience.fi/services/). The entire biomedical campus harbors more than 100 research groups including a strong cancer research community. The working language is English, and University of Turku has comprehensive welcome services for the newcomers: https://www.utu.fi/en/study-at-utu. Turku on the other hand is a charming medieval city in South-West coast of Finland with good connections to Helsinki and Stockholm. 

We are looking for a highly motivated researcher with MSc degree to join our international research group. The group broadly focuses on emerging roles of protein phosphatases in cancer, and especially on oncogenic inhibitor proteins of tumor suppressor phosphatase PP2A. The group originally identified CIP2A as a PP2A inhibitor protein (PMID: 1763205) and have revealed its role and oncogenic function across different human cancer types (PMID: 23306062, 24072747, 36854761). More recently, the group was first to identify an alternative role for CIP2A as a synthetic lethal target in BRCA mutant cancers (PMID: 34145035). Based on these findings CIP2A has emerged as a very interesting human oncoprotein especially in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).

However, we still poorly understand any CIP2A variants in cancer and their potential functional roles. We recently identified a CIP2A splicing variant NOCIVA that lacks the C-terminal 1/3 of the CIP2A protein and is constantly nuclear (PMID: 33674272). High NOCIVA expression links very strongly to poor survival in leukemia, but we do not have any insights related functional relevance of NOCIVA in TNBC or other solid cancers. The project is focused on understanding how NOCIVA splicing is regulated in cancer, and what is its functional role and its potential as a cancer biomarker and a therapy target in TNBC. The laboratory is fully equipped to address these novel research questions at the molecular, functional and clinical relevance levels.

Obligatory candidate requirements

• MSc or equivalent degree
• Documented experience in experimental cancer research in in cellulo models
• Good team-working and communication skills
• Official requirements of English language skills can be found here

Preferrable technical competencies and other qualities

• Gene editing (CRISPR/Cas9, base-editing)
• Viral gene transfer techniques
• Bioinformatics skills (databases, coding)
• Good understanding of gene regulation mechanisms
• Authorship in respected publication series

Eligibility requirements for these positions are defined in the University of Turku's regulations: https://www.utu.fi/en/university/organisation.

As you are applying for the doctoral researcher position, you must apply for the right to pursue doctoral studies (in the autumn 2026 application round) at the University of Turku. Please familiarize yourself with the student information and application criteria of the University of Turku Graduate School (UTUGS) and its doctoral programmes. Note that you must meet the criteria required for the position

Read more about University of Turku’s Graduate school (UTUGS) and its programmes

We value collegiality and promote equality, diversity, and inclusivity. We encourage all qualified applicants with different backgrounds to apply for our open positions.