Lukas Käll: new DDLS Research School Director for Postdoc Program

With the DDLS Research School (RS) now up and running, focus is shifting to phase 3: the launch of the postdoc program in 2026. To lead the way, the school has appointed a familiar name, Lukas Käll. In this article, he shares his background, motivation, and vision for the program.

The DDLS Research School (RS) was officially launched in 2024 with the start of the PhD program; the postdoc program, also part of the research school, is scheduled to launch in phase 3 (2026), starting next year.

To design and establish the postdoc program, including the recruitment process, networking activities, and so on, the RS team looked for a leader who combined relevant expertise with a strong familiarity with DDLS and the research school. Lukas Käll, a professor at KTH and a member of the DDLS Research School Management Group, perfectly fits this profile. Given his deep understanding of the DDLS program and his existing role within the school, appointing him to lead the postdoc program was a strategic decision that aligned well with the goals.

The initial plan for the program is to take inspiration from other successful postdoc programs, such as EMBL, EIPOD, and even our own SciLifeLab PULSE program.

In this announcement, we wanted to focus on Lukas Käll and his idea and vision for the program. Actual details about this new program and what it will look like will be revealed at another time.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your research background

I discovered programming as a teenager, quickly turning a hobby into a profitable side gig that sparked my lifelong passion for technology and innovation. Driven by curiosity, I pursued studies in Engineering Physics at Uppsala University, equipping myself with the analytical skills that would later define my career.

Following graduation, I worked professionally as a programmer for several years, indulging my fascination with complex computational challenges. At my first job, at Pharmacia Biotech (now Cytiva), I had the luck of stumbling into bioinformatics, where I could combine my technical abilities with the excitement of discovering molecular biology. This also set me up to discover machine learning, an area I’ve worked with since starting my PhD studies at Karolinska Institutet in 2001.

Throughout my career, I’ve developed several groundbreaking methods for interpreting biological data, particularly within mass spectrometry-based proteomics. My work aims not only to advance scientific understanding but also to ensure that innovations are broadly accessible. As a firm believer and strong advocate for open science, I strive to make my research transparent, reproducible, and impactful to the broader scientific community.

Tell us, why did you choose to accept the assignment?

I agreed to take this position as it provides a unique opportunity to influence how a large cohort of postdocs is recruited, ultimately shaping the future of Swedish life science research for years to come.

What are your thoughts, vision, or plans for how you want to lead and develop the program?

My vision for driving and developing the program nationally emphasizes recruiting individuals who excel in developing machine learning methods. By prioritizing exceptional talent over narrowly defined projects, we can cultivate a dynamic, innovative environment that significantly advances Swedish life science research.

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