Karolinska Institutet,

At the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology we teach and conduct internationally acclaimed, high-quality research in Physiology, Pharmacology, Anesthesiology and Intensive care. We have around 400 employees, 30 research groups, and 90 doctoral students. Our research fields include cellular signaling, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, neuropsychopharmacology, neuroinflammation, pharmacogenetics, regenerative medicine, Renal System, anesthesiology and intensive care, muscle physiology and pain. Our collaboration with the clinics at Karolinska University Hospital provides unique opportunities for translational research within our subjects. More information about research at http://ki.se/fyfa_english

We are recruiting a student for doctoral education.
For more information regarding doctoral (PhD) education, see: http://www.ki.se/doctoral.

Research group 
The aim of the research group is to understand how glia cells interact with neurons and how this may influence psychiatric and neurological disorders. Typical projects are highly translational using cellular reprogramming to combine clinical phenotyping with advanced in vitro assays. The group works in an inspiring and interactive research environment at Campus Solna and has on-going collaborative projects with national and international colleagues. To learn more about the group, please visit our web page: https://ki.se/en/fyfa/experimental-psychiatry-and-neurology

The doctoral education project and the duties of the student
The project encompasses studies aiming at understanding the role of aberrant synapse elimination in schizophrenia. These includes in vitro models using cellular reprogramming to create patient-specific models as well as using animal models.

Entry requirements for doctoral education at KI
To be eligible for doctoral education, the following requirements have to be met:

General entry requirements
A person meets the general entry requirements for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education (according to Higher Education Ordinance Chapt 7, section 39) if he/she:

  1. has been awarded advanced/second-cycle/master qualification (i.e. master degree) or
  2. has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle/master level, or
  1. has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

For more information regarding the general entry requirements, please see:
https://ki.se/en/phd/entry-requirements-eligibility-for-doctoral-education

Specific entry requirements
Proficiency in English equivalent to the course English B/English 6 at Swedish upper secondary school. Applicants who meet the general entry requirements (1 or 2 above) from a university in one of the Nordic countries fulfill the English language requirement.

For information on how other applicants can certify their English proficiency (such as through IELTS or TOEFL, previous upper secondary or university level studies), please see:
https://ki.se/en/phd/entry-requirements-eligibility-for-doctoral-education

Skills and personal qualities
Extensive experience with building cellular models of the healthy and diseased human brain using reprogrammed patient cells is a prerequisite. Experience in working with primary microglia cultures and/or induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived/directly induced microglia-like cells will be highly valued. The project relies on the ability of the candidate to self-sufficiently reprogram somatic cells to iPSCs and further create neurons and microglia-like cells. Experience with animal models of synaptic pruning is also meriting. The candidate must fluent in English, have good communication skills and be able to work both independently and as part of a team.

Assessment criteria
A selection will be made among qualified applicants on the basis of the ability to benefit from doctoral education. Karolinska Institutet uses the following bases of assessment:

- Documented subject knowledge of relevance to the area of research

- Analytical skill

- Other documented knowledge or experience that may be relevant to doctoral studies in the subject.

The qualifications of the applicants will be evaluated on an overall basis.

Terms and conditions
All doctoral students at KI receive financial support during their doctoral education and employment on a doctoral studentship is the most common sort of support.

Application process
The application must contain the following documents in Swedish or English:

  • A personal letter and a curriculum vitae
  • Academic degree diplomas, transcripts of records in original language and, if applicable, authorised translations
  • Copies of degree projects and any previous publications
  • Proof of English proficiency as stated in the specific requirement above

All documents certifying the entry requirements must be scans of originals (scans of copies or certified copies will not be accepted). The scanned documents must be in color and both the front and the back of the documents must be scanned. Please note that there are specific documentation requirements for a number countries, please read the instructions at:https://ki.se/en/phd/entry-requirements-eligibility-for-doctoral-education

The application and supporting documents are to be subitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

Type of employment PhD placement
Contract type Full time
First day of employment According to the agreement
Salary Monthly salary
Reference number 2-3531/2018
Contact
  • Carl Sellgren, Carl.Sellgren@ki.se
Union representative
  • Göran Engberg, SACO, 08-524 867 17
  • Henry Wölling, SEKO, henry.wolling@ki.se
  • Niklas Andersson, OFR, niklas.andersson@ki.se
Published 10.Aug.2018
Last application date 30.Aug.2018 11:59 PM CEST

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