Postdoctoral scholarship to investigate the Neurobiology of Stress and Treatment Response - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research to improve human mental health?

The Lopez laboratory, in the Department of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet (Campus Solna), has an open position for a Postdoctoral Researcher to investigate the behavioral correlates associated with stress-related psychiatric disorders and their treatments. Combining advanced molecular, behavioral and computational tools, this project will address the implementation of automatic behavioral tracking systems to deconstruct the behavioral “language” associated with treatment response. In addition, this project will investigate the brain cells and molecular circuits responsible for the antidepressant effects of novel and fast-acting medications, such as ketamine and psychedelic compounds (e.g. psilocybin).

More information about the Lopez Laboratory can be found here.

Division

The Lopez laboratory is part of the Department of Neuroscience, located in a new research building for Biomedical Research (Biomedicum), providing modern technological platforms and an open environment for interactions across departments and disciplines. The Department of Neuroscience is composed of outstanding scientists applying interdisciplinary approaches to cutting-edge problems in a collaborative and stimulating environment. We also work closely with the departments of Physiology & Pharmacology (FyFa), and Medical Biochemistry & Biophysics (MBB), which provide additional expertise in pharmacology, in vitro models, and the implementation of activity-based genetic labelling techniques. The Lopez laboratory is strongly committed to equity, diversity and inclusiveness. Applicants from different backgrounds (cultural, racial, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic) are encouraged to apply.

Duties

We are looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher who is interested in studying the molecular mechanisms and behavioral correlates, associated with stress-related psychiatric disorders and their treatments. The hired postdoc will perform experiments using novel automatic behavioral tracking systems, activity-dependent labelling techniques, and single-cell methods to identify the genes and brain circuits engaged during treatment response. You are expected to play a leading role in experimental design, execution of experiments, analysis of data, writing research findings, as well as presentation and publication of results. You will work with collaborating laboratories to learn and adapt new techniques. You will also have a chance to collaborate with the scientists who are pioneers in their fields.

The candidate must be an experienced researcher with documented doctoral or postdoctoral experience and expertise in a neuroscience-related field (biological or computational). Candidates must have significant experience working with laboratory animals (mice), performing stereotaxic surgeries, good knowledge of animal models of stress/anxiety, and experience analyzing behavioral data (Ethovision or DeepLabCut). Proficiency in programming, bioinformatics, and knowledge of MATLAB, R, or Python will be prioritized. The applicant needs to have a high degree of independence and motivation but should have no problems to work in a team given the collaborative nature of the project. Fluency in English (spoken and written) is a requirement.

Entry requirements

Scholarships for postdoctoral qualification can be established for foreign researchers who place their qualifications in Sweden. The purpose of scholarships for postdoctoral qualification is to promote internationalization and contribute to research qualification after a doctorate or equivalent.
A scholarship for carrying out postdoctoral research can be granted for a maximum of two years within a four year period following the receipt of a doctoral degree or equivalent.
To be eligible for a postdoctoral scholarship, the person must have obtained a doctorate or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a doctorate. 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) start date of the post doctoral education.

The head of the department determines whether their previous training and scholarly qualifications correspond to a Swedish doctorate or higher.

Location: Solna

Type of scholarship

The amount is tax free and it is set for twelve months at a time, paid out on a six months basis. In exceptional cases, shorter periods may be acceptable.

Application process

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

• A complete curriculum vitae, 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)

The application is to be submitted on the Varbi recruitment system on January 31st 2023 at the latest.

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