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

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.

Entry requirements

Postdoctoral scholarships may be established for foreign researchers who pursue their merit in Sweden. A foreign researcher is a person living in another country who comes 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. 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.

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

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.

Application process

An application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

•  A complete curriculum vitae, including date of thesis defence, title of thesis, previous employments and academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work.
• A complete list of publications.
• 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.

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