14 fully funded PhD fellowships in Quantitative Biology
Introduction
Biological research is increasingly relying on complex data from high throughput methodologies, including omics and imaging datasets. Sophisticated analysis approaches are needed to extract knowledge from these data, transforming life sciences into an increasingly quantitative discipline. The University of Lausanne (Switzerland) is at the forefront of this revolution, with quantitative research ramping up throughout the Faculty of Biology and Medicine (FBM), a dedicated Department of Computational Biology (DBC), and interdisciplinary units such as the Center for Integrative Genomics (CIG) and various units at the CHUV, Lausanne’s University Hospital. UNIL also hosts the headquarters of the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, to which many quantitative research groups are affiliated, and closely collaborates with EPFL on the same campus. Ideally situated along the lake of Geneva, near Lausanne's city centre, UNIL brings together over 120 nationalities.
UNIL's FBM has established a doctoral program in "QuantitativeBiology" (QB) to federate the recruitment of and exchange between PhD students from areas as diverse as Computational Biology, Machine Learning, Cancer Genomics, Human Genetics, Neuroscience, Evolutionary Ecology, Gene Regulation, Neural Networks, Cell Biology and Genetic.
In 2024, hiring principal investigators include Holger Auner (CHUV), Richard Benton (CIG), Sven Bergmann (DBC), Claire Bertelli (CHUV), Oliver Y. Chen (CHUV), Giovanni Ciriello (DBC), Raphael Gottardo (CHUV), Zoltán Kutalik (DBC), Johannes Larsch (CIG), Anna Sapfo Malaspinas (DBC), Serge Pelet (DMF), Marianna Rapsomaniki (CHUV), Alexandre Reymond (CIG), Nadine Vastenhouw (CIG), Alessandro Villa (HEC).
Job information
Expected start date: 01.03.2025 or to be agreed
Successful candidates will be offered a work contract with a highly competitive salary and including social security, for up to 5 years.
Your qualifications
We are accepting applications from talented and enthusiastic candidates who are interested in a dynamic, well-supported lab at a top research institution. Candidates need to have finished a Master’s degree in a relevant area before the start date of their doctoral studies.
Given the diversity of research in our faculty, we propose two main tracks in our program:
- The Q2B track is dedicated to students with a degree in quantitative sciences (such as computer science, engineering, physics, or maths) and are interested in using their skills to design and apply new computational and/or statistical approaches to solve biological problems. Previous knowledge in biology is not required but a plus.
- The B2Q track is dedicated to students with a life science degree or similar, who are highly motivated to learn the fundamentals of computational biology and integrate computational and experimental approaches in their work. Previous knowledge in bioinformatics is not required but a plus.
Students from both tracks will participate in the same activities and have access to the same resources offered by the program.
A high level of written and spoken English proficiency is required since most scientific activities are conducted in English.
What the position offers you
You will develop your research project while working in a world-class, interdisciplinary and highly collaborative environment.
Our QB PhD program provides opportunities for professional training and acquisition of highly transferable skills. This is complemented by a wide range of activities (retreats, symposia, student life).
All positions are fully funded. Salary and benefits are internationally highly competitive. Additional funding for consumables, computing, and to attend international conferences is available.
Informal inquiries
Prof. Giovanni Ciriello & Prof. Sven Bergmann
(Co-directors of QB program)
Your application
Deadline: 15.10.2024
For your application to be considered, you need to fill in two forms. Please read these instructions carefully.
The first form, linked here, requires the following informations:
- Personal details
- A cover letter. This can be very brief, since you will provide your motivations in the second form below.
- A single PDF document containing:
- Your curriculum vitae (with extracurricular activities, internships, publications, conferences, awards, software contributions, etc.)
- Available transcripts (Bachelor's and, if available, Master's)
- Bachelor or Master’s thesis summary, preferably, or summary of any research project you've been involved in. If the work is part of a team, please clarify your contribution.
- The names and contact details of 2-3 referees
The second form, linked here, requires you to answer the following questions
- What your most meaningful research experience to date and why? [up to 1500 characters, i.e. approximately 320 words]
- Why would you like to pursue a PhD, and why specifically at the UNIL Quantitative Biology Ph.D. program? [up to 1500 characters, i.e. approximately 320 words]
- Which recruiting labs are you the most interested in and why [up to 1500 characters, i.e. approximately 320 words]
If you can't access the second form (e.g. connecting from China), please follow the instructions on this page.
Lab visits and interviews will take place on December 9-10, 2024 in Lausanne.
