PhD Opportunity Abroad at the University of Bern
Looking for a PhD Opportunity in Childhood Cancer Research? Are you passionate about respiratory health, epidemiology, and paediatric oncology? Kanton Bern is inviting applications for a PhD Student position focused on pulmonary outcomes and lung function after childhood cancer. This PhD Opportunity Abroad allows you to work with leading clinicians and researchers while contributing to long-term survivor health studies.
About the University of Bern:
Kanton Bern is one of Switzerland’s leading public institutions, supporting world-class healthcare, education, and scientific research. Through collaborations with the University Children’s Hospitals in Bern, Basel, and Geneva, Kanton Bern promotes innovative medical research that improves patient care and advances public health. Researchers benefit from a collaborative environment, excellent infrastructure, and strong international academic partnerships.
Details:
| Institute | University of Bern |
| Title | PhD student: Pulmonary outcomes and lung function after childhood cancer |
| Workplace | Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine |
| Location | Bern, Kanton Bern |
| Employment Type | 100%, fixed-term, 3 years |
| Start Date | Available immediately or by arrangement |
| Salary | 50’042 Swiss francs annually (2026, full-time, including 13th month salary) |
| Last Date to Apply | 15 August 2026 |
Project Description:
With continuously improving treatments, nearly 90% of children diagnosed with cancer can be cured. However, many survivors develop long-term health problems caused by intensive cancer therapy. Pulmonary complications are frequent and may progress silently for years before becoming clinically apparent. Yet little is known on how lung function evolves in childhood cancer survivors, and how this relates to previous treatments, physical activity, and physical functioning.
The project follows children from three University hospitals longitudinally using a comprehensive set of pulmonary function tests, clinical assessments, and questionnaires. The PhD candidate will investigate lung health in children and adolescents who have been cured of cancer and study lung function over time.
PhD Opportunity Description:
This PhD Opportunity Abroad focuses on coordinating and advancing a prospective multicentre cohort study conducted in the University Children’s Hospitals in Bern, Basel and Geneva. The doctoral researcher will collaborate closely with study nurses, paediatric oncologists, and paediatric pulmonologists to support recruitment and clinical assessments. The role includes collecting and integrating clinical, treatment and pulmonary function data from multiple sources, applying epidemiological research methods, and performing statistical analyses. Findings will be presented at (inter)national conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.
Key Responsibilities:
- Coordinate an ongoing prospective multicentre cohort study
- Support recruitment and clinical assessments in collaborating hospitals
- Collect and integrate clinical, treatment, and pulmonary function data
- Manage and analyse epidemiological data in this PhD Opportunity Abroad.
- Apply statistical analysis methods at Kanton Bern
- Collaborate with clinicians and researchers across institutions
- Present results at (inter)national conferences
- Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals at the University of Bern.
Eligibility Criteria for the PhD Opportunity Abroad:
- University degree, ideally in medicine (MD), possibly in physiotherapy or physiology
- Strong interest in respiratory disease, epidemiology, and paediatric oncology
- Ideally clinical experience
- Strong interest in epidemiology and biostatistics; ideally experience in data analysis
- Fluency in English, German, and/or French, ideally all
What do they offer?
- Work in a motivated and competent research team of clinicians, epidemiologists and statisticians
- Preparation for a research career in a clinical setting, university, or public health institution
- The PhD counts (partially) as medical training (Paediatrics, Public Health, or similar)
- A lively graduate school at the University of Bern
- Salary according to the Swiss National Science Foundation salary scales for PhD students
- Central location in the heart of Bern
Why Join the University of Bern?
The University of Bern provides an interdisciplinary and collaborative academic environment. As part of this PhD Opportunity Abroad, you will work within a multicentre clinical research network, gain experience in epidemiological methods and biostatistics, and contribute to improving long-term health outcomes for childhood cancer survivors. The structured doctoral environment and integration with paediatric hospitals offer valuable preparation for careers in clinical research, academia, or public health.
