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Division and research group

Professor Miia Kivipelto’s research group - the Nordic Brain Network (NBN) - is part of the division of Clinical Geriatrics and belongs to KI Center for Alzheimer Research. The largest part of this multidisciplinary research team is mainly located at KI (Q-huset, Solna-Stockholm), but team members are also present at the Karolinska University Hospital, in Finland and UK.

Professor Kivipelto’s research group carries out internationally renowned research focusing on prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The research team has carried out different prevention trials and are involved in several international collaborations and networks (https://ki.se/en/nvs/nordic-brain-network)

The memory clinic and prevention trials network

Professor Kivipelto is the PI of the landmark FINGER randomized controlled trial (Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability), the first large-scale trial showing that people at risk for dementia from the general population can benefit from a multi-domain lifestyle- based intervention. Prof. Kivipelto and the NBN team have also been developing and testing the FINGER intervention model in memory clinic patients without dementia, e.g. in the MIND-ADmini trial conducted in close collaboration with the Karolinska Theme Aging memory clinics in Solna and Huddinge. About 2/3 of the patients referred to these clinics do not have dementia. This is an increasingly large group for whom effective communication and decision-making regarding early diagnosis and dementia prevention strategies are essential.

Findings from FINGER and MIND-ADmini are now being further developed in the EURO-FINGERS project coordinated by Prof. Kivipelto. EURO-FINGERS aims to formulate a multimodal precision prevention toolbox for dementia in Alzheimer’s disease, to be used for early identification of at-risk individuals, and directing them to interventions that they are most likely to benefit from. A key component of EURO-FINGERS concerns research on medical communication and decision-making in prevention and early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, in particular when biomarker results are borderline or conflicting and do not provide certainty. Currently available practice recommendations are largely based on expert opinion and do not include patients’ views and preferences. Nor do they provide specific, evidence-based recommendations for how to disclose information on risk and disease biomarkers. In addition, there is room for shared decision-making, i.e, improving patient/caregiver involvement in the choice to initiate diagnostic testing and embark on preventive strategies, taking into account that these choices may depend on individual characteristics and diversity.

The offered position belongs to the NBN, Division of Clinical Geriatrics. The office space is located at Q-House, Karolinska Solna.

Your mission

The candidate will be part of the NBN team, and will work in close collaboration with the EURO-FINGERS clinical team connected to the Karolinska Theme Aging memory clinics. The candidate is expected to contribute to the development of a research protocol for investigating various aspects of the medical communication and decision-making process in prevention and early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. The candidate will also assist with coordinating the implementation of the research protocol at the the Karolinska Theme Aging memory clinics. The candidate will also be involved in the management of the project-related data, planning and execution of data analysis, preparation of scientific articles, as well as support with supervision of PhD-students.

Given that both NBN and EURO-FINGERS are international teams located in several European countries, international traveling is expected.

The candidate is expected to work with a complex project where multiple research questions and target groups (e.g. patients, health professionals) are investigated in parallel, and will have opportunities for further education and skills development. This will give the candidate the possibility to further develop his/her role and career.

Your profile
Qualified to be employed as a postdoctor is one who has obtained a doctorate or has equivalent scientific competence. Applicants who have not completed a doctorate at the end of the application period may also apply, provided that all requirements for a completed degree are met before the (intended) date of employment. This must be substantiated by the applicant's main supervisor, director or equivalent.

To qualify, the candidate must have a PhD degree in a field relevant to medical communication research. We are seeking an applicant who has previous experience with both quantitative and qualitative research, who can conduct related data analysis independently, and is able to independently contribute to the design of the research protocol.

Applicants with previous research experience related to the field (medical communication in age-related cognitive impairment and dementia), experience with developing methods/instruments for investigating medical communication, and developing and implementing tools to support clinician-patient communication in practice will be given a higher rank. A strong publication record, as well as successful grant applications (in competition) are desirable.

Excellent spoken and written English is required. The successful candidate should show a high level of responsibility and a positive, problem solving attitude, and be an active team player in our large and dynamic multidisciplinary group. Great importance is attributed to collaboration abilities, pedagogical and communications skills, as a substantial part of the work involves collaborating with others, including participation in the supervision of PhD candidates.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment full of expertise and curiosity. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Our vision is to pursue the development of knowledge about life and to promote a better health for all. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. Karolinska Institutet is a state university, which entitles to several benefits such as extended holiday and generous occupational pension. Employees also have access to our modern gym for free and receive reimbursements for medical care.


Location:
Solna


Your career continues here

Application

An employment application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

  • A complete resumé, including date of the thesis defence, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work
  • A complete list of publications
  • A summary of current work (no more than one page)

Welcome to apply at the latest April 6.

The application is to be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

Want to make a difference? Join us and contribute to better health for all

Type of employment Temporary position
Contract type Full time
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100%
City Stockholm
County Stockholms län
Country Sweden
Reference number 2-1405/2020
Contact
  • Miia Kivipelto, Professor,, Miia.Kivipelto@ki.se
  • Alina Solomon, Affiliated, Alina.Solomon@ki.se
  • Mona Hellstadius, HR-supervisor,, Mona.Hellstadius@ki.se
Union representative
  • Carina Eklund, OFR, 08-585 826 65
  • Henry Wölling, SEKO, 08-524 840 80
  • Taher Darreh-Shori, SACO, 08-524 835 29
Published 13.Mar.2020
Last application date 06.Apr.2020 11:59 PM CEST

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