Join the lab

Our lab brings together phage biology, proteomics, functional genomics and computational biology to understand how phages interact with bacteria and use this knowledge to develop better antimicrobials. We’re looking for curious, motivated scientists who enjoy tackling difficult biological questions and working across disciplines.

Who we recruit

• Postdocs — researchers with backgrounds in molecular microbiology, proteomics, computational biology, functional genomics or synthetic biology.
• PhD students — curious, independent thinkers who are eager to develop new skills and work at the interface of experimental and computational biology.
• Master’s students / interns — motivated students interested in 6–12 month research projects with clear scientific questions and the opportunity to take ownership of their work.

Profiles we’re keen on

We’re particularly interested in people who can bring expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• Phage biology and microbiology — understanding phage host range, bacterial receptors, infection dynamics and bacterial defense systems. Experience with mycobacteria or other bacterial pathogens is welcome but not required.
• Proteomics — using mass spectrometry to study protein interactions, molecular complexes and changes in bacterial cells during infection. Experience with SEC-MS, AP-MS, XL-MS or proximity labeling is particularly relevant.
• Functional genomics — applying CRISPRi/a, genetic screens, perturb-Seq or related approaches to identify genes involved in phage susceptibility, bacterial resistance and phage–antibiotic interactions.
• Computational biology and machine learning — developing or applying methods for protein interaction networks, structure prediction, integration of different types of biological data and analysis of large-scale genetic screens.
• Synthetic biology — engineering phage genomes, designing and building genetic circuits, developing new tools for phage manipulation and modifying phage functions to improve host range, infection efficiency or bacterial killing.

You don’t need expertise in all these areas. We value people who have developed strong skills in their own field and are interested in applying them to new biological questions. Experience outside phage biology can bring perspectives and approaches that we haven’t considered.

How to apply

Email andrea.fossati@scilifelab.se with the subject “Join Fossati Lab — [role]” and include:

• A short CV with links to relevant publications, preprints or code, if available.
• A brief note explaining why you’re interested in joining and what you’d like to work on.
• One or two examples of work you’re particularly proud of, such as a research project, figure, publication or code repository.

We value scientific curiosity, technical depth, independence and a collaborative mindset. We’re especially interested in people who enjoy developing new ideas and aren’t afraid to venture outside their area of expertise.

PhD recruitment follows Karolinska Institutet’s formal admission and recruitment procedures.

Don’t see your background represented here? If you have an interesting idea or expertise that could complement our research, we’d still like to hear from you.