Three multidisciplinary postdoctoral scholarships (2 years)

About the role

The Integrated Science Lab (IceLab) (icelab.se), jointly with several departments at Umeå University, offers three postdoctoral scholarships. Applicants apply to one or more of the five proposed multidisciplinary projects, each project's PIs select their top candidate, and an IceLab-internal committee selects the three most promising project–candidate pairs for funding. Across the five projects, we seek candidates whose expertise falls within one or more of the following areas: computational and mathematical modeling, statistical modeling, machine learning, network science, bioinformatics, applied mathematics, biophysics, spectroscopy or microscopy, systems biology, theoretical and evolutionary biology, community ecology, ecological modeling, molecular biology, biochemistry, dynamical systems, and sports medicine or physiology. Further, postdocs should have a deep interest in scientific collaboration between researchers using theoretical and empirical approaches. The five projects are: A. Sensing the breaking point: Decoding the inputs to a cell wall integrity receptor in Chlorella vulgaris B. Decoding the Hidden Logic of RNA Polymerase Allocation Under Stress C. Adaptive immunity as an evolutionary response to unforeseen stress D. Multitrophic interaction networks as drivers of competitor coexistence under global change E. From training load to adaptation: Modeling of stress, resilience, and performance in elite female athletes Detailed information on and specific requirements for each project is given below. The IceLab Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Program funded by Kempestiftelserna The under-explored terrain between traditional disciplines is full of fascinating and impactful research questions. At IceLab, we promote and facilitate transdisciplinary collaborations – with a focus on cutting-edge research that integrates theoretical, computational, and empirical approaches. We will welcome you to IceLab with genuine support by creative researchers working on a panel of interdisciplinary problems. You will participate in both professionally and personally rewarding and entertaining activities aimed at training a new kind of researcher. A multidisciplinary team of researchers with complementary expertise will supervise each postdoc. The two-year postdoc fellowships are financed by Kempestiftelserna and are part of the IceLab Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Program. A fellowship amounts to 720,000 SEK over two years and 75,000 SEK for research expenses. The scholarships are tax-free. Application deadline September 17, 2026. Start between January and April 2027 (exact start date according to agreement). Formal qualifications To qualify as a postdoctoral scholarship holder, the postdoctoral fellow is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree. This qualification requirement must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the decision about scholarship recipient. Priority should be given to candidates who completed their doctoral degree, according to what is stipulated in the paragraph above, no later than three years prior to the decision date for the scholarship recipient. If there are special reasons, candidates who completed their doctoral degree prior to that may also be eligible. Special reasons include absence due to illness, parental leave, appointments of trust in trade union organizations, military service, or similar circumstances, as well as clinical practice or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area. Candidates should have experience in some of the following areas: data analytics, computational modeling, programming, mathematics, statistics, physics, molecular biology, microbiology, ecology, or systems biology – or an interest in gaining experience in these areas. Personal qualities such as collaboration, communication, strong drive and motivation, critical thinking abilities, creativity and analytical skills are essential. You should be able to take on the research independently and as part of a team. Good knowledge of oral and written English is required. Application A full application should include: A cover letter clearly stating which project or projects you are particularly interested in and summarizing your qualifications, your scientific interests, and your motives for applying (max 2 pages), A curriculum vitae (CV) with publication list, Verified copy of doctoral degree certificate or documentation that clarifies when the degree of doctor is expected to be obtained, Certified copies of other diplomas, list of completed academic courses and grades, Copy of doctoral thesis, Copies of relevant publications, Contact information for at least two reference persons, Other documents that the applicant wishes to claim. The application should be written in English or Swedish, and attached documents should be in Word or PDF format. The application should be registered via Umeå University’s e-recruitment system Varbi (https://umustipendie.varbi.com/en/what:job/jobID:950146/) and submitted by the deadline 17th of September 2026. Project descriptions, specific qualifications, and contact information (A) Sensing the breaking point: Decoding the inputs to a cell wall integrity receptor in Chlorella vulgaris Walled cells, including microalgae, live under a constant physical tension: internal turgor pressure pushes outward, and the cell wall must contain it. Cells monitor this balance through cell wall integrity (CWI) signalling, adjusting the wall's properties when they are threatened. A central question remains unresolved in both plants and algae: what does a CWI sensor actually detect? The difficulty is that the stresses which perturb the wall change its chemistry and its mechanical stiffness at the same time, so the activating signal cannot be identified by observation alone. This project addresses that question in the green microalga Chlorella vulgaris, a commercially important production organism whose robust cell wall is simultaneously the subject of basic biological interest and a practical obstacle to extracting intracellular products. Working from an established two-laboratory collaboration and a candidate CWI receptor already identified by bioinformatic screening, the project will build a mechanistic mathematical model that couples wall chemistry, wall stiffness, and turgor pressure, then use that model to design targeted experiments that separate what the receptor detects: the chemical products of wall remodelling, the mechanical state of the wall, or a defined combination of both. The resolved model will also predict the conditions under which the wall fails, with direct relevance to controlled, low-energy cell disruption. The postdoctoral researcher will have the opportunity to: Build a mechanistic model coupling wall chemistry, wall stiffness, and turgor pressure to receptor activation, using existing transcriptomic, compositional, and Brillouin microscopy data as the starting point. Conduct an identifiability analysis to determine which new measurements are needed to separate confounded inputs. Design and interpret experiments that decouple the chemical and mechanical inputs to the receptor. Fit the model to experimental measurements acquired across decoupled conditions, attributing receptor activation to each input. Use the resolved model to predict wall failure thresholds and explore their relevance to controlled cell disruption. Present results and modelling problems at IceLab activities, including lunch pitch sessions and the IceLab Camp, building connections with researchers working on stress-response modelling and inference from multivariate biological data. The postdoc will be based in IceLab, hosted by the Department of Plant Physiology, and supervised by a multidisciplinary team with complementing expertise in biochemistry, biotechnology and physiology of microalgae at the Department of Chemistry. Specific Qualifications for Project A To qualify for the fellowship, the candidate should hold a PhD degree, or a foreign degree that is deemed equivalent, in computational biology, biophysics, mathematical biology, applied mathematics, or a closely related quantitative field. The ideal candidate has experience in mechanistic or mathematical modelling of biological systems, an interest in working with experimental biologists to test model predictions, and the motivation to develop their skills at the intersection of quantitative modelling, cell biology, and algal biochemistry. Experience in parameter fitting, identifiability analysis, or dynamical systems modelling is particularly relevant. Prior knowledge of cell wall biology is not required. Contact Information Project A Laura Bacete Cano, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University (laura.bacete@umu.se). Christiane Funk. Professor, Department of Chemistry, Umeå University (Christiane.funk@umu.se). (B) Decoding the Hidden Logic of RNA Polymerase Allocation Under Stress How does a single bacterial cell decide which genes to switch on when it is under attack? When bacteria face stress, such as during infection or antibiotic exposure, they must rapidly change which genes they express. At the heart of this decision is a molecular competition: a handful of regulatory proteins called sigma factors compete over a small, shared pool of the enzyme RNA polymerase, with a small RNA molecule (6S RNA) acting as a hidden referee. 6S RNA determines which sigma factor gains access to the enzyme, which dictates whether the cell keeps growing or switches into survival mode. This competition is also part of the stress responses that help bacteria resist antibiotics, making this an emerging frontier in the understanding of antimicrobial resistance. This project explores this question in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, using a uniquely rich set of time-resolved gene-expression measurements together with mathematical and computational modeling. Because the competition for RNA polymerase cannot be observed directly, the central intellectual challenge is to reconstruct this hidden layer from the patterns it leaves in the data. The project lies at the interface of biological physics, mathematics, and microbiology. The postdoctoral researcher will have the opportunity to: Develop and refine mathematical and computational models of how bacteria allocate RNA polymerase among competing regulators under stress. Explore and interpret rich time-series gene-expression datasets to uncover the hidden dynamics of sigma factor competition. Deepen expertise in biological and computational physics, systems biology, and microbiology, building a broader interdisciplinary scientific profile. Engage with the interdisciplinary research environment at IceLab, including seminars and exchange with researchers across different disciplines. Optionally gain first-hand familiarity with the experimental side of the research, for those wishing to build a profile that bridges theory and laboratory science. Strengthen their independent research portfolio and scientific merits in preparation for a future research career. The postdoc will be based in IceLab, hosted by the Department of Molecular Biology, and supervised by a multidisciplinary team with complementing expertise in computational physics and systems biology. Specific Qualifications for Project B To qualify for the fellowship, the candidate should have a PhD degree, or a foreign degree deemed equivalent, in computational biology, bioinformatics, physics, systems biology, or a closely related field. The ideal candidate has a strong background in mathematical or computational modeling and data analysis, an interest in biological questions, and a desire to develop at the interface between quantitative science and microbiology. Contact Information Project B Ludvig Lizana, Professor, Department of Physics and IceLab, Umeå University

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