Research specialist in Bioinformatics and Artificial Intelligence

Do you want to contribute to improving human health?

The Department of Laboratory Medicine, one of the largest education and research hubs at Karolinska Institutet, is renowned for its advanced basic scientific, clinical, and epidemiological research. A Research Specialist position is now available at the Systems Virology Lab (SVL), offering a world-class environment at the forefront of bioinformatics, artificial intelligence-driven biomarker discovery, and basic virology research. At SVL, you will have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects integrating multi-omics, AI, and systems biology to address complex biomedical challenges, including the pathogenesis of emerging and re-emerging viruses. Join us to advance science and make a real-world impact in a highly collaborative and innovative setting. The project is funded by European Union Pandemic Preparedness Grant.

Description of the subject area

The project focuses on unraveling the complex molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying dengue virus infection and disease progression. Dengue is a significant global health challenge caused by a mosquito-borne virus, with millions of cases reported annually. The project aims to identify key molecular pathways and biomarkers involved in host-virus interactions, immune response dysregulation, and disease severity. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), multi-omics integration, and artificial intelligence-driven analytics, the project seeks to generate novel insights into dengue pathogenesis. This multidisciplinary initiative bridges virology, immunology, and systems biology, addressing critical gaps in dengue research and contributing to global efforts to combat this emerging and re-emerging viral threat.

Your mission

The Research Specialist will play a pivotal role in the project, focusing on bioinformatics and artificial intelligence-driven approaches to advance our understanding of dengue virus pathogenesis.

Key responsibilities include:

•  Conduct in-depth analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and multi-omics data to identify molecular pathways, biomarkers, and host-virus interactions critical to dengue disease progression. 
•  Apply machine learning and systems biology approaches to analyze complex datasets and uncover novel insights into immune response dysregulation and cellular mechanisms. 
•  Design and execute innovative computational workflows and pipelines to support project objectives, ensuring the highest scientific standards including AI based image analysis. 
•  Coordinate and maintain effective communication with international collaborators and research teams to ensure seamless integration of data, methodologies, and findings. Act as a liaison to align project goals and timelines across global partnerships. 
•  Oversee the curation, organization, and sharing of large-scale multi-omics datasets, adhering to best practices for data integrity and reproducibility. 
•  Prepare manuscripts, reports, and presentations to communicate findings to the scientific community and funding bodies. Contribute to knowledge dissemination through participation in international conferences and workshops. 
•  Provide guidance to junior researchers, students, and collaborators, fostering a collaborative and innovative research environment. 

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for employment as a Research Specialist, in addition to holding a Degree of Doctor, PhD, or having a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a Swedish doctoral degree, the applicant must have demonstrated research expertise as well as have documented research experience after defending their doctoral dissertation.

The ideal candidate for this Research Specialist position should have expertise in scRNA-seq and its downstream bioinformatics analysis. They should possess proven experience in analyzing scRNA-seq datasets, including quality control, normalization, clustering, and differential gene expression, and be proficient in tools such as Seurat, Scanpy, or similar platforms, with strong programming skills in R, Python, or equivalent. Familiarity with integrating multi-omics data, as well as applying machine learning or AI to scRNA-seq for biomarker discovery or cellular phenotype characterization, will be highly advantageous. A strong understanding of systems biology approaches and knowledge of virology or immunology, particularly in host-pathogen interactions or immune response studies, is preferred. The candidate should have a solid track record of publications in high-impact journals and demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team, effectively bridging experimental and computational research to tackle complex biological challenges.

Assessment criteria

It is particularly meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Proven expertise in analyzing scRNA-seq and multi-omics data, including integration and interpretation for biological insights.
• Advanced programming skills in R, Python, or similar languages, and proficiency in bioinformatics tools and platforms such as Seurat, Scanpy, or equivalent.
• Demonstrated ability to apply machine learning and artificial intelligence methods to complex biological datasets for biomarker discovery and pathway analysis.
• A strong track record of publications in high-impact journals, reflecting innovative research and contributions to the field of virology, immunology, or systems biology.
• Experience in coordinating international collaborations, including effective communication.

It is meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Familiarity with systems biology approaches to model host-pathogen interactions and immune system dynamics.
• Previous experience in mentoring junior researchers, fostering collaboration, and contributing to team-based research projects.
• Proficiency in managing and organizing large-scale multi-omics datasets, adhering to best practices in data sharing and reproducibility.
• Participation in international research networks, conferences, or collaborative projects that highlight an ability to work in multidisciplinary and cross-border contexts.

After an overall assessment of the expertise and merits of the applicants in relation to the subject area, Karolinska Institutet will determine which of them has the best potential to contribute to a positive development of the activities at KI.

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. Here, 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: Flemingsberg

 Choose to work at KI - Ten reasons why

Application

We prefer that Your application is written in English, but You can also apply in Swedish. An application must contain the following documents:  PhD certificate, resumé, qualifications and description of planned research, presented in accordance with Karolinska Institutet's qualifications portfolio.

Welcome to apply!

The application must be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

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