Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, division of Biomaterials

A scholarship for postdoctoral research in molecular biology is available in the Reinius lab at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Division
The research group of Björn Reinius (https://www.reiniuslab.com) is part of the Division of Biomaterials (https://ki.se/en/mbb/research-division-of-biomaterials ) at the Department for Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics (https://ki.se/en/mbb), located at the newly built Biomedicum Research Laboratory (https://ki.se/en/staff/biomedicum) at the Solna campus of Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. The group employ a multi-disciplinary approach, integrating methods development for RNA/DNA sequencing (particularly aimed at the single-cell resolution), bioinformatics, molecular cell biology, cell-culture and animal models, to characterize and understand mechanisms of gene regulation in mammalian cells. A special focus of the lab is X-chromosome inactivation and more recently also X-chromosome hyperactivation (Nature Structural and Molecular Biology 2019, see lab homepage). During the last years, Reinius and colleagues pioneered the use of single-cell RNA-seq in the context of X-chromosome regulation (Science 2014, Nature Genetics 2016, Cell 2016 etc., see lab homepage). The lab is equipped with the equipment and tools needed for executing state-of-the-art research in the topic; including cell and animal model systems, molecular biology resources and equipment, access to high-throughput sequencing, and capacity for computation-intense analyses (a dedicated computational server is available within the lab). The facility, Biomedicum, wherein the lab is located, provides a vibrant international research environment and in-house access to core facilities, lectures by world-leading scientist, and excellent seminar series.

Research project
The research project will characterize key features of gene regulation using the human and mouse X chromosome as model system. The postdoctoral fellow will establish embryonic stem cell lines and employ these to investigate the gene-regulatory underpinnings of X-chromosome inactivation, the major epigenetic process by which an entire X-chromosome copy is transcriptionally silenced in female cells to maintain correct X-gene dosage balance. By studying this gene silencing process, we may elucidate key aspects of both development and gene regulation, particularly important for understanding active versus silenced gene states. The postdoctoral fellow will perform cell culture work and utilize high-throughput methods (RNA/DNA-sequencing and single-cell RNA-seq) in the analyses of cellular transcriptomes. The research is closely related to stem-cell biology and cell reprogramming and may provide a molecular understanding of incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity of X-linked genetic disorders and medical syndromes resulting from chromosome-copy-number variation.

Duties
The postdoc is expected to take a strong lead in project design, management, data generation, as well as analyses and interpretation of data. The duties also include to working in a team and to adhere to high scientific standards and responsibilities. The ability to work in an interdisciplinary and international environment and to engage in continuous professional development is a must. Since some of our experiments are performed on cells and tissues derived from mouse, the applicant must be willing to perform animal research.

Entry requirements
Scholarships for postdoctoral qualification can be established for foreign researchers who place their qualifications 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.

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

Previous documented experience in the analysis of allele-specific gene expression will be favourable in the selection of candidates.

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)

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

First day of employment Upon agreement
Salary Månadslön
Reference number 2-63/2020
Contact
  • Björn Reinius, 08-524 878 20
Published 07.Jan.2020
Last application date 05.Feb.2020 11:59 PM CET

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