Postdoctoral studies in interoceptive neuroscience and neurometabolism (scholarship)

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research? 

The Furlan Lab at the Division of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, is recruiting a postdoctoral researcher to investigate the central and peripheral neuronal circuits through which the brain senses the internal state of the body. Our lab devised strategy to efficiently map such brain-body circuits, and define their role in physiology and in the context of obesity and metabolic disease. We interrogate the role of circuit nodes by manipulating the activity of their neurons with adenoassociated viruses (AAV), in transgenic mouse lines, and assess changes in behavior and system metabolism. We complement these approaches with bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing to uncover the molecular programs engaged by these circuits, in the target tissues. This framework provides strong translational potential and supports the discovery of mechanisms that could inform new therapeutic strategies for disorders of energy balance and metabolic health.

You will join an interdisciplinary and collaborative environment within the Department of Neuroscience at Biomedicum, with access to advanced imaging, viral-vector technologies, behavioural platforms, high-resolution metabolic phenotyping, and computational support. The position offers broad training in systems neuroscience and opportunities to shape new directions in interoception and energy homeostasis. Coding experience is highly valued.

Division

The postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for planning and conducting experiments aimed at mapping and interrogate the role of interoceptive neuronal circuits in mouse models. This includes viral tracing, imaging, histological processing, behavioural assays, metabolic measurements, and molecular analyses. The role also involves data management, quantitative analysis, coding for data processing and visualization, preparation of figures and reports, and active contribution to manuscript writing. Additional responsibilities include maintaining accurate experimental documentation, adhering to ethical regulations, participating in group meetings and scientific discussions, and offering guidance to master students rotating in the lab. A PhD in neuroscience or a closely related field is required for this position. Strong coding skills and the ability to handle and interpret large datasets will be considered a major advantage.

Duties

Description of duties and areas of responsibility

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:

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 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)

Location: Solna

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

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