Postdoctoral studies in translational research on lipid mediator regulation of small airway inflammation

Do you want to contribute to improving human health?

Over 300 million individuals have asthma worldwide, posing a major health challenge for which there is no cure. Eicosanoids are bioactive lipids (e.g. prostaglandins and leukotrienes) that play a vital role in the airway inflammatory cascade contributing to the pathogenesis of asthma. There is a need to understand the connection between lipid mediator production and function in relation to disease onset and severity. These efforts are crucial to increase our understanding of asthma, identify novel targets and create new treatments to improve the quality of life for hundreds of millions globally.

Your mission

We have an opening for a post-doctoral fellow wishing to join a multidisciplinary project aimed to understand the role of lipid mediators and inflammatory cytokines in lung disease. The goal is to define mechanisms of relevance to asthma that ultimately may become novel targets for future treatments. The post-doctoral fellow will lead a project to investigate interactions between lipid mediators and key cytokines in type 2 as well as non-type 2 inflammation (see e.g. PMID: 37336434, 36116518 and 34175307) using freshly isolated tissues from the small airways of humans. The project aim is to generate a broad physiological understanding that includes functional, phenotypic, and genomic investigations of the impact of bioactive lipids in asthma.

Your profile

We are searching for a highly motivated candidate with a commitment to experimental research in asthma and other lung diseases. Experience of physiological or pharmacological research is a strong merit, in particular familiarity with functional experiments using tissue organ baths or myographs. Excellent communication skills and an ability to interact socially and scientifically with other members of the laboratory, as well as collaborators in various networks is essential. The laboratory working environment is in English.

To qualify, the applicant must hold a doctor’s degree, or a foreign qualification deemed equivalent to a doctorate. Applicants who have completed their degree no more than three years before the last date for applications will be given priority. Candidates who have completed their degree later than this will receive equal priority if special grounds exist.

Your working environment

The Unit of Integrative Metabolomics in the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM) has an internationally recognized, long-standing experience with functional and biochemical studies of bioactive lipid mediators in the context of asthmatic airway inflammation. The Unit has recently built new dedicated facilities for cell and tissue analyses, providing the successful candidate the opportunity to work in a state-of-the art environment. 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.

Location: Solna

Unit of Integrative Metabolomics, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden and Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

Swedish regulations concerning Scholarships

The purpose of scholarships for postdoctoral fellows is to promote internationalisation and contribute to further research qualification after a doctoral degree 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. The scholarship is tax free, and it is set for twelve months at a time, paid out on a six-month basis. In exceptional cases, shorter periods may be acceptable.

Scholarships for carrying out postdoctoral research may be granted to persons living in other countries who come 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 from KI.

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)
• If convenient, A copy of doctoral thesis (as PDF)
• A cover letter describing the applicant’s interest in the position.

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

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