Karolinska Institutet, NVS

The Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS) conducts world leading research in aging, dementia, epidemiology and care sciences. This research extends from basic molecular and cell levels to clinical research and societal studies. NVS educates almost a third of KI students at basic and advanced levels. The Department has approximately 540 employees and a revenue 2023 of 530 million SEK. It comprises seven divisions, located at Campus Flemingsberg and Campus Solna.

We are recruiting a doctoral (PhD) student. For more information regarding doctoral education at Karolinska Institutet (KI), see:
http://ki.se/en/phd/about-doctoral-education-at-ki

Research group
The PhD student will join the research group led by Angel Cedazo-Minguez and Silvia Maioli, belonging to the Division of Neurogeriatrics. The Division of Neurogeriatrics recently moved into the new research building BioClinicum in Solna. BioClinicum is designed to increase integration between research, education and care, and promote interactions between research groups. The building is connected to the hospital and the Karolinska Institute's new research house Biomedicum as well as the new Comparative Medicine-Biomedicum animal facility.

Angel Cedazo-Minguez group currently consists of 8 people, students, postdocs, lab manager and assistant professors with different backgrounds, educationally as well as culturally. The focus of the research group is on understanding mechanisms behind risk factors for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease.

The doctoral education project and the duties of the student
The aim of the doctoral education project is to bring new mechanistic knowledge on the largely unexplored field of the impact of cholesterol metabolism on neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s Disease. The PhD student will investigate the biological roles of oxysterols in the brain and how alterations in cholesterol metabolism participate in synaptic dysfunction during ageing and in relation to specific pathological processes of Alzheimer’s Disease. The PhD student will work both on in vitro and in vivo models, such as primary neuronal/astrocyte cultures and different mouse models of cholesterol metabolism.

Entry requirements for doctoral education at KI
In order to participate in the selection for a doctoral position at Karolinska Institutet, 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
  3. has acquired substantially equivalent konwledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

Specific entry requirements
Proficiency in English equivalent to the course English B/English 6 at Swedish upper secondary school is an entry requirement for doctoral education at KI. Applicants who meet the general entry requirements (1 or 2 above) from a university in one of the Nordic countries has met the requirements in English.

Follow the link below for information on how other applicants can certify their English proficiency (such as through IELTS or TOEFL, previous upper secondary or university level studies).

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

Skills and personal qualities
We are seeking a highly talented and enthusiastic doctoral candidate. The successful candidate should be self-motivated and able to keep herself/himself informed on developments of the relevant research field, and also, have excellent communication skills, organizational skills, and the ability to work productively and dynamically in a team. The applicant must be able to integrate well into the group and like to work closely in a team.
It is meritorius if the applicant has some experience in a biomedical lab and some knowledge in the field of neurodegeneration, cholesterol metabolism and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Good expertise in molecular biology and techniques such as western blot, ELISA, PCR, isolation and culture of neurons from rat/mouse embryos is required. Additionally, experience in neurobehavioral studies in mice (in particular memory tests) is highly preferable. Having obtained a FELASA B certificate would be also considered an advantage.

Terms and conditions
The doctoral student will be employed on a doctoral studentship (Sw: doktorandanställning) during the 4 years doctoral education.

Application process
The application and supporting documents are to be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

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

  • A personal letter and a curriculum vitae
  • Documents certifying the entry requirements*: Academic degree diplomas, transcripts of records, and if applicable, authorised translations
  • Copies of degree projects and any previous publications
  • Proof of English proficiency
  • Any other documentation showing the desirable skills and personal qualities described 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: http://ki.se/en/phd/entry-requirements-eligibility-for-doctoral-education

If an applicant claims equivalent konwledge (point 3 under general entry requirements above) for the eligibility assessment, a form has to be filled in and submitted. Please find more information here: https://ki.se/en/phd/assessing-equivalent-knowledge-for-general-eligibility-for-doctoral-education

Selection
A selection will be made among eligible applicants on the basis of the ability to benefit from doctoral education. The qualifications of the applicants will be evaluated on an overall basis.

KI 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 selection process will include several steps. The most suitable applicants will proceed to the next step which includes personal interviews. All applicants will be informed when the recruitment is done.

Type of employment PhD placement
Contract type Full time
Reference number 2-905/2019
Contact
  • Silvia Maioli, Assistant Professor, 46 8 58 585 454, silvia.maioli@ki.se
  • Ulla Cronfalk-Hernlund, Head of Administration, 46 8 524 868 18, ulla.cronfalk-hernlund@ki.se
  • Maria Staiger HR officer, 46 8 524 837 79, maria.staiger@ki.se
Union representative
  • Henry Wölling, SEKO, henry.wolling@ki.se
  • Carina Eklund, OFR, 08-585 826 65, carina.eklund@ki.se
  • Biborka Bereczky Veress, SACO, 46 70-173 85 75 , biborka.bveress@ki.se
Published 11.Feb.2019
Last application date 04.Mar.2019 11:59 PM CET

Return to job vacancies