Postdoctoral studies in human protein complex genetics (scholarship)

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research? 

The Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics conducts research in epidemiology and biostatistics across a broad range of areas within biomedical science. The department is among the largest of its type in Europe and has especially strong research profiles in psychiatric, cancer, reproductive, pediatric, pharmaco, genetic, and geriatric epidemiology, eating disorders, precision medicine, and biostatistics.

Part of the success of our department is due to our collaborative spirit where one factor is that researchers at the Department share and co-finance common resources (e.g., IT and an applied biostatistics group). The department is situated at campus Solna. Further information can be found at http://ki.se/en/meb 

Division

You will join an interdisciplinary and internationally connected research group researching at the intersection of population genomics, proteomics, and statistical modelling. Led by the PIs who coordinate the SCALLOP Consortium—a global collaboration comprising many population-based cohorts with genetic and proteomic data, you will be embedded in a vibrant research environment with strong industry links and will benefit from direct supervision and co-supervision across KI, the University of Edinburgh, and SCALLOP partners.

Duties

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to study the genetic regulation and disease relevance of human protein complexes (“complexome”). You will learn to: 1) Develop and apply AI-assisted deconvolution algorithms to infer protein complex abundance from population proteomics datasets (e.g., Olink Explore); 2) Integrate structural predictions (e.g., AlphaFold3) into statistical models to quantify protein complexes across individuals; 3) Conduct genome-wide association studies of complex abundance, map disease associations, and identify novel therapeutic targets; 4) Collaborate within the SCALLOP Consortium to translate findings into drug target discovery pipelines; 5) Participate in translational workshops with pharmaceutical partners; 6) Contribute to publications in high-impact journals and engage in open science practices.

Entry requirements

We are looking for a candidate with:

Essential:

• A PhD in statistical genetics, bioinformatics, computational biology, or a related field.
• Strong programming skills (e.g., R, Python).
• Experience with omics data analysis, particularly genomics or proteomics.
• Demonstrated ability to study independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Meriting:

• Prior experience with analysis in large-scale population cohorts.
• Knowledge of protein–protein interactions, structural biology, or relevant AI tools.
• Familiarity with GWAS pipelines and QTL mapping.
• Experience studying in interdisciplinary or international research teams.
• Experience and expertise in statistical method development. 

Postdoctoral scholarships may be established for foreign researchers who pursue their merit in Sweden. A foreign researcher is a person living in another country who comes to Sweden with the intention of only staying in Sweden for all or part of their postdoctoral education at KI. Persons who are resident in Sweden and/or have carried out all or part of their academic education at KI or some other educational institution in Sweden cannot be considered for scholarships. The purpose of scholarships for postdoctoral qualification is to promote internationalization and contribute to research qualification after a doctorate or equivalent.

The scholarship for postdoctoral research is for 1 year, with the possibility of extending up to 2 years, and may be renewed for a 2nd year within a 4-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.

What do we offer?

International staff  

KI Postdoc Association  

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Here, we conduct innovative medical research and provide the largest range of biomedical education in Sweden. At KI, you get to meet researchers working with a wide range of specialisms and methods, giving you ample opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with the various scientific fields within medicine and health. It is the crossover collaborations, which have pushed KI to where it is today, at the forefront of global research. Several of the people you meet in healthcare are educated at KI. A close relationship with the health care providers is important for creating groundbreaking top quality education and research. Students and employees have free access to our modern gym facilities with trained staff on site.

Location: Solna, Sweden

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)
• A research proposal on the topic (optional)

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

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