Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

You should join our group of enthusiastic researchers if you are looking for an engaging and exciting postdoctoral position in the field of immunology and bone biology. We are proud of our positive work environment and the unique discovery infrastructure with access to clinical samples and high through put technologies. We stimulate scientific interaction through broad collaboration with leading academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies.

Your mission

The successful candidate will be responsible to establish state of the art in vitro an in vivo assays, methods and technologies to build mechanistic assays and to investigate the role of immune cells and autoantibodies in bone metabolism, pain and chronic inflammation.

The project includes studies on patient samples, cell lines, primary cell cultures and animal models. The methods we use are both cellular and molecular immunological techniques. Previous experience from work with osteoclast cultures and evaluation of osteoclast maturation and bone loss in vitro are requirements. Solid experience from mice experiments and specifically from analysis of pain behaviour, micro CT and/or MRI evaluation are needed.  Certain administrative and educational work in the context of many national and international collaborations at our unit will also be part of the work. Emphasis will be put on communication skills of the candidate.

What sets us apart in the field of immunology and rheumatology is the unique discovery infrastructure with access to clinical samples, collaboration with leading academic institutions and pharmaceutical companies and access to high through put technologies. We have developed unique models of pathogenic autoimmunity based on in-house produced polyclonal and monoclonal patient-derived antibodies and a new unique animal model generated in mice through passive transfer of these antibodies.  Our assays and models fill the gap of relevant models of pathogenic autoimmunity, highly needed for the bridging of less complex in vitro model systems with clinical disease.

Your key tasks as a PhD fellow are to:

  • Manage and carry through your research project
  • Write and publish scientific articles
  • Write grant applications and actively searching for project financing
  • Participate in national and international congresses and scientific meetings to present own work
  • Supervision and teaching of junior staff
  • Disseminate your research

Your profile

The successful candidate is expected to use a wide range of immunological, molecular, biochemical and imaging techniques for the characterization of relevant pathways in human primary cells and animal models of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Further, these assays and models will be used for drug screening to identify compounds that may be developed into therapeutics. Example technologies are in vitro assessment of bone metabolism, in vivo imagistic methods (such as mCT and MRI in mice models) and in vivo assessment of pain behavior in mice.

PhD degree in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g. biomedicine, biotechnology, biomedical engineering, natural sciences or pharmacy) is required. 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) date of employment. This must be substantiated by the applicant's main supervisor, director or equivalent.

Extensive experience with osteoclast maturation and bone loss in vitro assays as well as experience from pain behaviour, micro CT and/or MRI evaluation in mice is required. Further, it is desirable that the candidate has a strong interest in autoimmunity and chronic inflammation and has previous experience from cell culturing and primary cell-based assays. Also, experience from assay development and high throughput screening activities is desired.

 The work requires a good collaboration ability and that you are open to learn new methods and have the capacity to solve problems. Personal suitability and scientific competence are highly valued. Good knowledge in written and spoken English is required.

Key criteria for the assessment of applicants:

  • Relevant skills and knowledge
  • Previous publications
  • Relevant work experience
  • The grades achieved during bachelor/master studies
  • Other professional activities
  • Language skills
  • Assessment of the candidate’s motivation letter

Qualified to be employed as a postdoctor is one who has obtained a doctorate or has equivalent scientific competence. 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) date of employment. This must be substantiated by the applicant's main supervisor, director or equivalent.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment full of expertise and curiosity. 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. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. Karolinska Institutet is a state university, which entitles to several benefits such as extended holiday and generous occupational pension. Employees also have access to our modern gym for free and receive reimbursements for medical care.

Location

The position is located within the Department of Medicine, Solna. The department consists of twelve divisions and each division consists of several research groups. The position is located within the Rheumatology Translational Research group at Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM), led by Anca Catrina (for more information about our research group please visit our web site at http://ki.se/en/meds/arthritis-research-team-anca-catrina). 

Application

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

  • A complete resumé, 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)

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

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

Type of employment Temporary position
Contract type Full time
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100%
City Solna
County Stockholms län
Country Sweden
Reference number 2-1910/2020
Contact
  • Anca Catrina, anca.catrina@ki.se
Union representative
  • Bruna Gigante, SACO, bruna.gigante@ki.se
  • Louisa Cheung, SACO, Louisa.Cheung@ki.se
  • Afsar Rahbar OFR, Afsar.Rahbar@ki.se
Published 29.Apr.2020
Last application date 24.May.2020 11:59 PM CEST

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