Projects
Research opportunities for students
Our research focuses on the bioinformatic analysis of multimodal tumor data and the development of computational methods to uncover biological mechanisms that can advance precision and personalized oncology. A central focus of our group is cancer immunology. We integrate bioinformatics, systems biology, and machine learning to investigate the complex rules governing interactions between tumor and immune cells, and to understand how these interactions shape tumor evolution and therapeutic response.
We offer Bachelor's and Master's theses, project studies, lab rotations, and research internships. We welcome students from the University of Innsbruck, as well as visiting students supported by the Erasmus+ and AURORA initiatives. Students with diverse academic backgrounds—including molecular biology, computer science, bioinformatics, and software engineering—are encouraged to apply.
Current topics include single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, in silico cell-type deconvolution, integrative analysis of multimodal tumor data, AI and machine learning for precision oncology, and the development of novel bioinformatics tools. Projects are based on real-world biomedical data and let students work on scientifically relevant questions while developing advanced computational and analytical skills.
What we look for
- Good programming skills in R or Python (required)
- Bash scripting and high-performance computing (HPC) experience is desirable but not required
- Strong analytical skills and motivation to tackle challenging problems
How to apply
Email the group leader, Prof. Francesca Finotello, with a short introduction covering:
- Your academic background and technical/programming skills
- Your research interests and the type of project you'd like to pursue