Postdoctoral studies in (scholarship) lipid mediator metabolomics and mass spectrometry

Do you want to contribute to improving human health?

Chronic lung disease ranks among the most prevalent noncommunicable diseases worldwide, claiming more than four million lives each year. Within this landscape, eicosanoids and related lipid mediators play a pivotal role in driving airway inflammation and remodeling characteristic of severe asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Emerging evidence extends their influence even earlier in life, revealing that gut microbiome–derived lipids can shape immune development and predispose children to atopy and asthma. Uncovering novel lipid mediators that bridge the gut–lung axis may therefore open new avenues for therapeutic intervention in pediatric respiratory disease.

Your mission 

We have an opening for an individual wishing to join a multidisciplinary project aimed to understand the role of lipid mediators in lung disease. The successful candidate will be expected to use and further develop mass spectrometry-based methods for quantification of lipid mediators including eicosanoids and novel octadecanoids. Analyses will involve further development of our novel chromatography approaches including chiral and UPC2 methods for applications in large scale clinical studies as well as experimental models to map the biochemical role of lipid mediators in the pathobiology of lung disease. A particular focus will be on comprehensive profiling of eicosanoids and related oxylipins in respiratory disease, advancing our understanding of how distinct lipid mediator signatures define asthma phenotypes and potential therapeutic targets.

Your profile

We are looking for highly motivated candidates with a Ph.D. in quantitative mass spectrometry or bioanalytical chemistry. The successful candidate will be expected to use and further develop mass spectrometry-based methods for metabolic profiling of lipid mediators. Accordingly, applicants must document their experience in small molecule mass spectrometry by LC-MS/MS as well as familiarity with quantification and method validation. Prior experience working with lipids is considered a merit as well as experience in cell culture and microbiome analysis. Excellent communication skills and an ability to interact socially and scientifically with other members of the laboratory and with international collaborators are essential. There is significant potential for career development within this position and path to independence support will be provided to interested candidates.

Division

The Unit of Integrative Metabolomics in the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM) consists of multiple researchers focused on the application of mass spectrometry to perform molecular phenotyping of individuals in response to disease or environmental stressors. These efforts are combined with integrative modeling to identify biochemical pathways associated with specific disease sub-phenotypes towards the goals of 1) understanding the etiology of disease processes & 2) identifying markers of the onset as well as resolution of system-based stress. The Unit is

housed in the Biomedicum building at the Karolinska Institute in a new purpose-built mass spectrometry facility. The Unit includes multiple mass spectrometers and the associated sample processing equipment as well as dedicated wet and dry laboratory space

Entry requirements

Postdoctoral scholarships may be established for foreign researchers who pursue their merit in Sweden. A foreign researcher is a person living in another country who comes to Sweden with the intention of only staying in Sweden for all or part of their postdoctoral education at KI. Persons who are resident in Sweden and/or have carried out all or part of their academic education at KI or some other educational institution in Sweden cannot be considered for scholarships. 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. 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) start date of the post-doctoral education.

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. Here, we conduct innovative medical research and provide the largest range of biomedical 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. Students and employees have free access to our modern gym facilities with trained staff on site.

Location: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Solna https://ki.se/en/imm/unit-of-integrative-metabolomics

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 cover letter conveying the applicant’s interest in the position

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

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