Nicholas Tobin

I am a Principal Researcher and Team Leader at Karolinska Institutet, working at the interface of cancer genomics, computational biology and clinical translation. My research focuses on biomarker development and patient stratification in cancer, with a particular emphasis on integrating molecular and clinical data to understand disease progression, treatment response, and long-term outcomes.

I hold a BSc in Biotechnology and a PhD in vascular biology from Dublin City University, and have held postdoctoral positions in Lund, Manchester, and at Karolinska Institutet before establishing my current research team at Karolinska Institutet.

I also contribute to teaching and course development at Karolinska Institutet across undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels, with a focus on integrating computational and translational perspectives into biomedical training.

Local Leadership and commissions of trust

2023 - present: Member - Docent Committee, KI

2021 - present: Member - Onk-Pat Departmental Leadership Board

2021 - 2022: KI Faculty advisory council (Fakultetsrådet - JF Representative)

2019 - 2022: Vice Chair - KI Junior Faculty (JF)

2018 - present: Member - Onk-Pat Equality Committee, KI

Our research focuses on cancer genomics and computational biology, with an emphasis on biomarker development and patient stratification. We have a particular interest in breast cancer, where our work has explored how molecular features, including gene expression signatures and cell cycle activity, influence disease progression, treatment response, and long-term clinical outcomes.

Our work integrates molecular data with large clinical cohorts to identify clinically relevant biomarkers and assess their prognostic and predictive value. More broadly, we aim to develop biology and AI-driven data-centric approaches that support translational research and improve patient stratification across cancer types.

Research Leadership and commissions of trust

2023 - present: Chair, Scientific Committee - Cancer Core Europe Summer School

2021 - present: Director - cBioNet (Cancer Bioinformatics Network), Onk-Pat

2020 - present: Member - Pfizer Breast Cancer Translational Research Advisory Board

2013 - present- Executive Board Member - BRECT (Breast Cancer Research Consortium)

2019 - 2022: Executive Board Member - Cancer Research KI (JF Representative)

I teach primarily in bioinformatics across undergraduate (Bachelor’s), Master’s, and doctoral education at Karolinska Institutet. My teaching focuses on the application of computational methods to better understand cancer biology.  In addition, I deliver seminars on key aspects of cancer biology, including the hallmarks of cancer and the clinical utility of gene expression signatures. I also provide training in widely used cancer genomics platforms such as cBioPortal.

I serve as Director of Education (GUA) at the Department of Oncology-Pathology, where I contribute to educational leadership, curriculum development, and strategic planning. I have completed 12 weeks of formal pedagogical training and have extensive experience supervising and examining students at Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD, and postdoctoral levels.

Education Leadership and commissions of trust

2024 - present: Board Member - Education Advisory Board, Gustave Roussy, Paris

2024 - present: Board Member - Education and Training Pillar, Cancer Core Europe 

2021 - present: Director of Education (GUA) - Onk-Pat, KI

2020 - present: Board Member FoTO (PhD Programme, Tumour Biology and Oncology), KI

2020 - 2024: Course Director, Molecular Medicine-Oncology (Biomedicine Programme), KI