Postdoctoral Researcher in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Genetic Fate Mapping

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

We are looking for a highly motivated and talented postdoctoral candidate to take the lead on one or more challenging research projects in the lab of Professor Sten Eirik W. Jacobsen. The research project(s) will be focused on genetic fate mapping of normal mouse and human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), using DNA mutations for HSC clonal lineage tracing. The research will be funded by existing grants, including from the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Cancer Society and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.

Research Focus and Projects

A main line of research in the Jacobsen lab is focused on understanding the commitment pathways governing lineage fate decisions from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to mature blood cells (references 1-7). This is studied in genetic mouse models, in healthy human subjects as well as in myeloid malignancies. Key technologies applied towards these research questions include genetic/mutational clonal fate-mapping, flow cytometry, and various in vitro and in vivo stem cell assays. The projects that the new postdoc will primarily be involved in, will apply the same type of DNA sequencing analysis as in a recent publication in which we retrospectively (through phylogenetic analysis) lineage-fate mapped human HSCs (7).

Projects will be pursued in part at the Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine (HERM), and in part at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB). The Jacobsen lab has ongoing strong collaborations related to these projects, at the Karolinska Institutet as well as internationally, and the recruited postdoctoral candidate will benefit from interactions in a highly collaborative network.

Responsibilities

Members of the research group and collaborators will interact closely and regularly on these research projects. Key technologies applied towards these research questions include advanced flow cytometry, whole genome DNA sequencing including for clonal analysis, and various in vitro and in vivo assays. The postholder must enjoy teamwork and interact well with others, including other lab members, as well as collaborating scientists. Good English written and oral communication skills are required for regular presentations of data and project plans.

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. At Karolinska Institutet, 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.

Essential requirements

• PhD degree. Preference will be given to those who were awarded a PhD or attained equivalent research competence no more than five years prior to the expiry of the application period for the position as Postdoctoral researcher.
• Experience with advanced DNA sequencing analysis, including:
  - Proficiency in computational skills including programming (e.g., bash, Python, R) and command-line interface in Unix/Linux environments
  - Experience with bioinformatics pipelines for DNA sequencing data analysis (e.g., variant calling, quality control, data processing)
• Strong track record as evidenced by one or more high impact publications in the field of genetics, preferably as applied towards clonal tracking
• Training in international leading laboratories.
• Good knowledge of spoken and written English.
• Ability to stay on top of the relevant research field. 

Location: Flemingsberg and Solna

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Biology Group – Sten Eirik W. Jacobsen Lab | Karolinska Institutet

the Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine (HERM)

the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB)

 Choose to work at KI – Ten reasons why

Application

Applications must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

1. A maximum one page cover letter summarizing motivation for the position and previous experience and research interests.
2. A complete curriculum vitae of current work and work history.
3. A complete list of publications with any shared authorships clearly indicated.
4. Names and contact details of three references who are familiar with the applicant’s recent research and training.

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

Pursuant to the regulations of the Swedish National Archives, applications are kept on file for two years after the appointment has gained legal force. The regulations do not apply to attachments that have been printed or otherwise published.

Karolinska Institutet strives to provide a workplace that has approximately the same number of women and men, is free of discrimination and offers equal opportunity to everyone.

References

1. Sanjuan-Pla A., et al., Platelet-biased stem cells reside at the apex of the haematopoietic stem-cell hierarchy. Nature, 2013. 502(7470): p. 232-236.
2. Woll PS et al., Myelodysplastic syndromes are propagated by rare and distinct human cancer stem cells in vivo. Cancer Cell, 2014. 25(6): p. 794-808.
3. Giustacchini A. et al., Single-cell transcriptomics uncovers distinct molecular signatures of stem cells in chronic myeloid leukemia. Nature Medicine, 2017. 23(6): p. 692-702.
4. Carrelha J., et al., Hierarchically related lineage-restricted fates of multipotent haematopoietic stem cells. Nature, 2018. 554(7690): p. 106-111.
5. Carrelha J., et al., Alternative platelet replenishment pathways initiated by distinct stem cells. Nature Immunology, 2024. 25(6): p. 1007-1019.
6. Dimitriou M., et al., Identification and surveillance of rare relapse-initiating stem cells during complete remission after transplantation. Blood, 2024. 143(11): p. 953-966.
7. Yoshizato T. et al., Stable contribution of lineage-restricted stem cells to steady-state human haematopoiesis. Nature Genetics, 2025. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02405-w.

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