Postdoctoral researcher in Lung and Airway Research (LAR) - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Do you want to contribute to improving human health?

The Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM) is a department at Karolinska Institutet and an interdisciplinary research institution within the broad field of environmental medicine. Researchers at IMM conducts cutting edge research within the areas of environmental and occupational medicine, toxicology, physiology, epidemiology, and biostatistics with the aim to clarify how environmental and lifestyle factors affect our health and which role genes have. IMM also serves as a scientific advisor to public authorities within the area of environmental medicine and IMM scientists participate in national and international expert groups.

Division
Within the unit of Lung and Airway Research (LAR), we perform studies aimed at characterizing cellular and molecular mechanisms in pulmonary host defense of humans, primarily to improve the understanding of the pathogenesis of obstructive airway disease including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. A specific aim is to characterize how exposure to airborne environmental agents influences the mobilization of adaptive and innate immune cell populations in relation to Th17-associated cytokines in human airways. The researchers in LAR share laboratory facilities with the Respiratory Medicine Unit at the Department of Medicine Solna and has close collaboration with the clinical  Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy at Karolinska University Hospital, facilitating the access to clinical materials.

Your mission

We are looking for a skilled post-doctoral researcher with documented experience in translational research, ideally already having a post-doctoral experience with good references. The research experience should be applicable for the fields of immunology, bacteriology and respiratory medicine.

This position offers a possibility to contribute to the development of precision medicine in common lung disease. The announced position will be placed in the Unit for Lung and Airway research (LAR), headed by Professor Anders Lindén at the Institute for Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet Solna. The LAR unit includes a research group with a long and strong track-record from research on Th17-associated cytokines in host defence and chronic inflammatory disorders of the lungs. The general aim of this research group is to identify new biomarkers for early diagnosis, individual monitoring and treatment of human patients with chronic inflammatory disorders of the lungs. Our current focus is the interplay between exposure, immune signaling and dysbiosis in obstructive airway disorders. A successful applicant will become a member of a committed research team where all members are respected and important.

The primary duty is to conduct and contribute to excellent research in our areas of interest. The position also includes practical responsibilities on a regular basis, such as handling of airway and blood samples from human healthy volunteers and patients. The position may also include responsibility for developing and applying novel strategies for characterizing cellular and molecular immunology of lung and blood cells in humans. The position is temporary for two years. 

Your profile

A person is eligible to be appointed postdoc if she or he holds a basic degree in biomedical science (M.Sc.) or medicine (M.D.) and has been awarded a Degree of Doctor (Ph.D.) in either of the areas of immunology, bacteriology, respiratory medicine, cell and molecular biology, or similar field of research. Ideally, you should be an individual who has been granted a Ph.D. no more than seven years before the end of the current application period. The candidate must have a strong and documented scientific background relevant to our research areas of interest. We also require a thorough technical and practical understanding as well as abilities in applying relevant methods as described below.

Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology, bacteriology, medicine, immunology, or another relevant field is a fundamental requirement
• Documented experience in standard methods of cell and molecular biology (flow cytometry, ELISA, RT-PCR and Western blot) is a must
• In-depth knowledge in relevant statistical methods and software is needed
• Excellent skills in the English language are mandatory
• Strong analytical skills are required
• Practical skills in the use of Microsoft Office are useful

Additional merits

• Experience from gene technologies targeting the bacteriome (16SrRNA or metagenomics)
• Skills in immuno- and cytohistochemistry
• Experience from research on airway disease
• Experience for research on human host defense
• An interest in the future supervision of master and Ph.D. students

As the position involves work on exclusive clinical materials in close interaction with a team of coworkers, emphasis is placed on personal skills such as:

• Strong personal commitment
• Meticulous laboratory skills
• Proven ability to work in a team

Ideally, the successful applicant should be ready to start working as of August 15, 2021

What do we offer?

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 better health for all. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct innovative medical research and provide the largest range of biomedical education in Sweden. Karolinska Institutet is a state university, which entitles employees to several benefits such as extended holiday and a generous occupational pension. Employees also have free access to our modern gym and receive reimbursements for medical care.

Location: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet and Bioclinicum, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna

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, committee work and references
• A complete list of publications
• A summary of current work (no more than one page)

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

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