Postdoctoral studies in oxylipin bioanalytical mass spectrometry (scholarship)

Do you want to contribute to improving human health?

Chronic lung disease is one of the largest noncommunicable diseases globally, resulting in upwards of 4 million deaths annually. Eicosanoids and related lipid mediators have been shown to exert a causative role in the etiology of severe airway disease including asthma and COPD. Recent findings have shown that the early life gut microbiome produces lipid mediators associated with the onset of pediatric atopy and asthma. The identification of novel lipid mediators involved in the gut-lung axis therefore represents a potential therapeutic target for treating pediatric lung disease.

Your mission

We are seeking an individual wishing to join a multidisciplinary project aimed at understanding the role of lipid mediators in lung disease. The successful candidate is expected to use and further develop mass spectrometry-based methods for quantification of lipid mediators including eicosanoids, novel octadecanoids and eicosanoid metabolites in urine. 

Analyses will involve further development of our novel chromatography approaches, including chiral and UPC2 methods. These will be applied in large-scale clinical studies as well as in experimental models to map the biochemical role of lipid mediators in the pathobiology of lung disease. The successful applicant will perform large-scale profiling of eicosanoids and other oxylipins in respiratory diseases, with a focus on using eicosanoid signatures to identify sub-phenotypes of asthma.

Your profile

We are looking for highly motivated candidates with a Ph.D. in quantitative mass spectrometry or bioanalytical chemistry. The successful applicant must have documented experience in small molecule mass spectrometry using LC-MS/MS, as well as familiarity with method validation and quantification. Excellent communication skills in English, along with the ability to interact both socially and scientifically with other laboratory members and international collaborators, are essential. Experience working with lipids is considered a strong merit, as is experience in cell culture and microbiome analysis.

Division

The Unit of Integrative Metabolomics in the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM) consists of multiple researchers focused on applying mass spectrometry to perform molecular phenotyping of individuals in response to disease or environmental stressors. These efforts are combined with integrative modeling to identify biochemical pathways associated with specific disease sub-phenotypes towards the goals of:

1. Understanding the etiology of disease processes.
2. Identifying markers of the onset as well as resolution of system-based stress.

The Unit is housed in the Biomedicum building at the Karolinska Institute in a new purpose-built mass spectrometry facility. The Unit includes multiple mass spectrometers and the associated sample processing equipment, as well as dedicated wet and dry laboratory spaces.

Entry requirements

Postdoctoral scholarships may be established for foreign researchers who pursue their postdoctoral research in Sweden. The purpose of scholarships for postdoctoral qualification is to promote internationalization and contribute to research qualification after a doctorate 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. 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.

The head of the department determines whether their previous training and scholarly qualifications correspond to a Swedish doctorate or higher.

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.

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 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

Institute of Environmental Medicine | Karolinska Institutet

Unit of Integrative Metabolomics | Karolinska Institutet

Home | Metabolomics - The Wheelock Laboratory

Application process

An application must contain the following documents in English 

• 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 cover letter conveying the applicant’s interest in the position (no more than one page)

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