The Department of Laboratory Medicine consists of 7 divisions and is active in many areas of Laboratory Medicine. The department is involved in advanced basic scientific, clinical and epidemiological research. The department is one of the largest departments of education at Karolinska Institutet.

The Department of Laboratory Medicine is tightly connected with clinical researchers and healthcare teams at several departments of the Karolinska University Hospital, which allows for translational research involving clinical material and the potential to bring new therapies from bench to bedside. The facilities at Laboratory Medicine offer state-of-the art cell culture, molecular biology, flow cytometry and microscopy facilities. The vision of the Department is to conduct research to promote human health. This research often leads to new diagnostic methods, clinical practices or to new treatments.

Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine (BCM)
BCM is one of the divisions at the Department of Laboratory Medicine and is localised at the Clinical Research Centre at the Karolinska University Hospital in Huddinge, where a large proportion of the clinical research at this hospital site is performed. The Clinical Research Centre houses around 20 research groups with about 150 employees. The centre provides excellent and cost-effective infrastructure for biomedical and experimental clinical research.

Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine (BCM) consists of several research groups and core facilities. Activities are translational in nature and include fundamental molecular cell biology studies, pre-clinical testing of therapy/ diagnostic agents and related activities, certified production of cell products for clinical use, phenotypical analysis of cells and tissues as well as clinical studies of patients treated with cell therapy agents.

The Project and Research Group
The research efforts in Associate Professor Samir EL Andaloussi´s group focus on one of the greatest challenges facing modern therapeutics; delivery.

This project will focus on developing a broad and sensitive analytical platform for extracellular vesicle (EV) phenotype and function. Due to the small size of EVs of 100 nm and below, and existing methodological limitations for assessing EV concentrations in biological solutions and quantifying surface protein abundance and other cargo, it has become of utmost importance for all projects aiming to study or use EVs to improve existing methods and develop new ones. It is also a major challenge in the field to establish functional assays to study EV-mediated effects. This optimized platform will be the basis for developing more defined bioengineered extracellular vesicles for treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Most of the research will be conducted utilizing cell lines and animal models. The first part of the work will involve improving existing analytical methods and optimizing new methods for high-resolution analysis of EVs and their phenotypic and functional properties. EV engineering will be employed to generate suitable EV analytical standards and reference materials.

The second part of the work will involve molecular cloning, transduction of cells and subsequent purification of engineered exosomes harbouring therapeutic proteins or RNA, as well as producing standards for analytics and procedures. In doing this, it will be important to phenotype EVs derived from different sources and to follow different engineering strategies, both on bulk mass basis as well as with optical or flow cytometry based single vesicle methods.

The third part involves assessing the functional inter- and intracellular trafficking and biodistribution of these EVs in vitro and in vivo, and to determine their biological activity in cell models as well as in disease animal models.

Duties and Qualifications
Prospective candidates should be highly motivated and have the ability to work independently and as part of a team. Importantly, the applicant should be able to coordinate the work of other students and postdocs in the lab. The applicant should also have ideas for own projects and be willing to write grant applications.

The applicant should be a scientist with completed postdoctoral stints and have a solid background in molecular biology or biotechnology and immunology. Practical lab experience is essential, especially in the following areas:

  • Cloning, expression and purification of recombinant proteins
  • Fluorescent/confocal microscopy (ICC and IHC)
  • Protein analysis (Western blot, ELISA and IP)
  • Cell line establishment, flow cytometry/sorting, cell culture work (knock-in and –out, establishing cell lines and cell assays)
  • Purification and quantification of extracellular vesicles
  • RNA expression analysis (rtPCR, qPCR and ddPCR)

The applicant should have previous experience from work with exosomes and exosome phenotyping using flow cytometry and nanoparticle tracking analysis as well as automated high-resolution microscopy.

Felasa certificate for animal work is a prerequisite. In addition, excellent proficiency in both spoken and written English is highly desired. We are looking for an energetic and passionate person who fits in, actively contributes to our team and has the ambition to teach and establish their own academic group over time.

How to Apply
An application must contain the following documents in English:
Personal letter, Curriculum Vitae, qualifications and description of planned research, presented in accordance with Karolinska Institutet’s qualifications portfolio:
https://ki.se/en/about/qualifications-portfolio-for-teachers-and-researchers

Welcome to apply at the latest 2020-04-17

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

Location: Flemingsberg, KI South 

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. The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet selects the Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine.

Type of employment Temporary position
Contract type Full time
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100%
City Huddinge
County Stockholms län
Country Sweden
Reference number 2-1550/2020
Contact
  • Samir EL Andaloussi,, samir.el-andaloussi@ki.se
Union representative
  • Carina Eklund, OFR, 08-585 826 65
  • Emilie Hultin, Annica Lindkvist, SACO, 08-524 832 86, 08-524 837 46
  • Henry Wölling, SEKO, 08-524 840 80
Published 31.Mar.2020
Last application date 17.Apr.2020 11:59 PM CEST

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