Ph.D. Position in AI for Cancer Genomics

The Wicki Lab (at the University and University Hospital of Zurich) and the Krauthammer lab (at the University of Zurich) are seeking a motivated PhD candidate to join a recently established team from both labs working on the AI Tumorboard project improving precision oncology. The candidate will develop and apply novel AI models for the analysis of multi-omic data to advance cancer treatment decisions.

Your Responsibilities

The goal of this position is to combine genomics and machine-learning approaches to improve personalised cancer care. Key focus areas are:

• Genomic foundation models for processing multi-omic data of cancer patients.
• Liquid biopsy for disease monitoring.
• Developing predictive models integrating multi-omics and clinical data in order to identify clinically actionable biomarkers and to support treatment decisions.
• Collaborating closely with oncologists and data scientists to align data analysis tools with clinical workflows and real-world needs.

You also have the possibilities to expand the research scope to other innovative projects in Precision Oncology.

Your Profile

Minimum qualifications:

• Master’s degree (MSc) in computational biology, bioinformatics, biology, statistics, machine-learning or a related discipline with proven experience in both genomic and computational projects.
• Proficiency in Python and core scientific computing libraries (e.g., NumPy, SciPy, Scikit-learn, pandas).
• Strong statistical background and experience with machine learning methods.
• Strong foundational knowledge of cancer biology and genomics.

Preferred qualifications:

• Proficiency in Linux systems, and high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
• Experience with NGS analysis and with bioinformatic tools
• Experience with deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch or TensorFlow).
• Familiarity with multi-modal data integration (e.g., clinical, genomics, proteomics).

What We Offer

• Access to state-of-the-art computational resources, clinical datasets, and expert medical collaborators.
• An opportunity to work on cutting-edge bioinformatic and machine-learning projects with real-world impact in Oncology.
• A stimulating, interdisciplinary research environment within the University of Zurich and the University Hospital of Zurich.
• Competitive salary and support for attending conferences and publishing in top-tier journals.
• Outstanding working conditions in the vibrant city of Zurich, Switzerland.

Place of Work

Zurich, Switzerland

Start of Employment

The preferred start date is Q2 of 2025.

Further information

For further information, contact zsolt.balazs@uzh.ch

How to Apply

Send your application including the following documents to claudia.stenger-gysling@uzh.ch AND nicola.miglino@usz.ch:

• a cover letter detailing your motivation and fit for this position.
• your CV.
• contact details for three references.