Postdoctoral position in the Nordic Brain Network group: brain imaging data in the context of clinical cohorts and trials, for personalized dementia prediction modelling - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

The Nordic Brain Network (NBN, PI: Prof Miia Kivipelto) is part of the section of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, NVS. The NBN is a multidisciplinary research team at KI, but team members are also present at the Karolinska University Hospital, in Finland and UK. NBN research focus is on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The NBN conducts cutting edge biomedical, epidemiological, observational and qualitative research, as well as randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for dementia risk reduction and is part of several international collaborations.

Prof. Kivipelto is the PI of the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) RCT, the first large-scale trial showing that a 2-year multidomain intervention can benefit cognition in older adults at risk of dementia. Prof. Kivipelto and her team work to optimize and scale-up the FINGER model, to identify effective strategies for dementia risk reduction and prevention applicable on a global scale. Towards this end, Prof. Kivipelto has founded the EU-FINGERS Consortium, and the World-Wide FINGERS Network. Assistant Prof. Francesca Mangialasche works as scientific and clinical coordinator in both initiatives, and she is Work Package (WP) leader for ERA-PerMed project Pattern-Cog: “Personalized aging pattern for early risk detection and prevention of cognitive impairment and dementia in cognitively healthy individuals”.

Multidimensional modeling including brain imaging data (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), can support prediction of dementia risk and response to preventive interventions, enabling precision prevention. Toward this aim Pattern-Cog will develop and test a methodology, based on brain imaging, for assessing risk to develop cognitive decline, and predict response to preventive interventions. The project leverages multinational European data from observational and intervention studies.  

Your mission

We are looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher who will be working under the main supervision of Assistant Professor Francesca Mangialasche, within the Pattern-Cog project. The work includes analysis of brain imaging, clinical and other biomarker data within RCTs, as described in the WP led by KI. The work includes also tasks related to the contribution to other WPs, including participation in PPI activities (Patient and Public Involvement), as well as support with general tasks related to the project – e.g., communication with other partners, attending meetings, compiling scientific reporting.

This is a full-time, temporary position with a duration of 12 months, with possibility of extension.

Your profile

Qualified to be employed as a postdoctor is one who has obtained a doctorate or has equivalent scientific competence. It is considered as an advantage if you have completed your doctoral degree within the last three years, if there are special reasons, your degree may have been completed earlier. 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.

The candidate is expected to:

• Hold a PhD in the field of neuroepidemiology, medical sciences or a related area by the time of employment.
• Have previous experience in the field of dementia research.
• Have good epidemiological skills, especially in relation to longitudinal data analysis from human studies.
• Demonstrate enthusiasm and a strong motivation to contribute to this research.
• Have excellent English language skills in terms of oral and written communication, and ability to interact adequately with other researchers in the team.

Meritorious:

• Experience with data analysis from intervention studies.
• Experience with STATA software.
• Experience with multinational projects.

The successful candidate should show a high level of responsibility, independence, and a positive, problem-solving attitude. The candidate should have great organizational and time management skills and be an active team player in our dynamic multidisciplinary group. Great importance is attributed to communication skills, openness in the interaction with others, and collaboration abilities, as a substantial part of the work involves collaborating with others. Workload will be variable and requires flexibility in terms of working hours to meet deadlines. We will place great emphasis on personal qualities.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical 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. Karolinska Institutet is also a state university, which entitles you to several benefits through our collective agreement.

Location: Solna

Nordic-Brain-Network

EU Fingers

World Wide Fingers

Karolinska Institutet

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 3rd of October 2022. 

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

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