Postdoctoral researcher in Enteric regenerative biology

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position in Ulrika Marklund’s group at the division of Molecular Neurobiology. The lab’s research focus is on the enteric nervous system (ENS) in the gastrointestinal tract - an essential, yet under-investigated, part of the nervous system. There is thus immense potential for new fundamental insights to be discovered.

Research Team and the Division

The Marklund lab addresses principal questions in ENS biology with a focus on neural cell diversity. The team has recently identified molecularly distinct neuronal cell classes in the ENS as well as a new conceptual model for they emerge during the development (Morarach et al., 2021). New projects seek to uncover molecular programs controlling cell fate decisions during both embryonic and adult neurogenesis using transcriptomic, epigenetic, gene manipulation, and imaging methodologies. By resolving mechanisms of ENS regeneration, the lab hopes to pave the way for a better understanding, characterization and treatment of prevalent gut disorders.

The Marklund lab is part of the Unit of Molecular Neurobiology, today inhabited by 8 research groups with expertise in developmental biology, advanced omics and imaging technologies, neuroscience, cancer and stem cell biology. The unit has a strong collaborative structure and a highly stimulating and dynamic research atmosphere. The Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics resides in a new research building for Biomedical Research, Biomedicum, providing modern technological platforms and an open environment for interactions across departments and disciplines. For further information on the research unit: https://ki.se/en/mbb/research-division-of-molecular-neurobiology.

More information can be found at: www.marklundlab.org

Your mission

A postdoctoral position is now open within an ERC-funded project. Your aim will be to unravel mechanisms and gene regulatory programs that determine cell identities within the regenerating ENS. You will explore which enteric glia cells that are amenable to differentiate into neurons and determine which neuron types can be formed in adult system. The recruited postdoctoral fellow is expected to play a leading role in experimental design, experimentation, analysis, as well as presentation/publication of results. You will perform computational analysis of transcriptomes or work closely with a collaborating bioinformatician. Further information about the ERC project: https://news.ki.se/ki-researcher-ulrika-marklund-awarded-the-erc-consolidator-grant

Your profile

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctor a phd or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a Swedish phd is required. This eligibility requirement must be fulfilled at the latest at the time of the employment decision. It is considered as an advantage if you have completed your doctoral degree within the last three years, if there are special reasons, your degree may have been completed earlier.

The applicant shall hold a PhD degree in the field of developmental biology, transcriptomics or molecular neurobiology. Skills in the following areas are required: RNA omics, bioinformatics, transgenic animal models, fine tissue dissections and surgery and histochemical methodologies. Prior experience with regenerative animal models is highly meritorious. The applicant needs to have a high degree of independence and motivation but should have no problems to work in a team given the collaborative nature of the project. Fluency in English is a requirement.

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.

Location: Solna

Application

An employment 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 personal letter highlighting previous accomplishment and expertise, research interests and motivation to apply (about one page)
• Reference letters (to be uploaded directly if available or send directly to Ulrika.Marklund@ki.se after the first selection round)

Welcome to apply at the latest 2025-01-15

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

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