Karolinska Institutet, The Department of Medicine, Huddinge

We are seeking enthusiastic and hard-working individual, preferably with a medical degree and previous molecular biology research experience, to join the research group of Yenan Bryceson as a Postdoctoral researcher to study primary immunodeficiency diseases and develop novel therapeutic strategies based on genome editing. 

Research and The research group 
Our group has a long-standing interest in severe primary immunodeficiency diseases affecting infants and children. We have successfully used cutting-edge secquencing techniques to identify disease causing mutations. Although whole genome sequencing is currently feasible, a majority of patients remain molecularly unexplained and thus represent a major scientific and clinical challenge. A successful postdoctoral candidate will strive to improve the diagnostics of rare immune diseases by combining novel sequencing technologies (single cell seq, ATAC seq, and RNA seq of selected cell populations) with standard genome sequencing.

In addition, identification of disease-causing mutations can provide new opportunities for treatment and cure. The project will strive is to build a gene editing platform that can be used to correct patient-specific mutations in ex vivo cell therapies for genetic immune and other rare childhood diseases. High-throughput biology techniques will be employed to optimize, develop and understand the CRISPR-Cas system that forms the base of the platform, and develop and implement methods to evaluate its safety in clinical settings.

The research group is based at the Center of Hematology and Regenerative Medicine (HERM), Karolinska Institutet. HERM consists of approximately 90 research fellows and is a nationally leading and internationally competitive environment for studies of the human immune system in the context of malignancy and infectious diseases. The vision is to become one of the leading translational research centers within hematopoiesis and immunity in Europe. The laboratory offers state-of-the art cell culture, molecular biology, flow cytometry and microscopy facilities. In the Bryceson group (http://www.ki.se/en/medh/yenan-bryceson-group), you will be working in a very international and interdisciplinary research environment, where collaborative efforts are encouraged.

Entry requirements, skills, and personal qualities

Qualification requirements

  • PhD or preferably MD-PhD degree with previous research experience
  • First authorship papers in high-ranking, peer-reviewed journals
  • Fluent oral and written communication skills in English

Skills that count in the assessment

  • Understanding of primary immunodeficiency diseases
  • Experience in using a variety of advanced molecular biology and sequencing technologies
  • Experience working with human primary cells
  • Personal fit

Personal qualities

  • Hard-working and driven
  • Organized
  • Self-directed and independent
  • Creative
  • Collaborative, team player

 Duties and work tasks

  • Elaboration of scientific hypothesis, experimental design
  • Design and optimize custom Next Generation Sequencing libraries
  • Design and conduct customized CRISPR screening experiments
  • Optimize CRISPR-Cas9 system in primary cells
  • Presentation and publication of results

Terms
This is a full-time fixed-term appointment for 12 months, with possibilities for extension depending on scientific progress.


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

  1. A letter of motivation explaining the interest in the position and including a summary of why the applicant’s background and experience would be relevant for the project.
  2. 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
  3. A complete list of publications
  4. A summary of current work (no more than one page)

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

Type of employment Temporary position
Contract type Full time
First day of employment According to agreement
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100%
City Huddinge
County Stockholms län
Country Sweden
Reference number 2-6731/2018
Contact
  • Yenan Bryceson, Group Leader, yenan.bryceson@ki.se
Union representative
  • Yvonne Edlund OFR/ST , yvonne.edlund@ki.se
  • Mats Rudling, SACO, mats.rudling@ki.se
Published 29.Nov.2018
Last application date 09.Dec.2018 11:59 PM CET

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