Doctoral (PhD) student position in vaccine immunology (KID) - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

A doctoral student is admitted to third-cycle/doctoral education. A doctoral education consists of supervised research, combined with courses and other educational activities. An individual study plan is established for each doctoral student. For a doctoral degree, the equivalent of four years of full-time doctoral education is required.

Research group
The Division for Immunology and Allergy at the Department of Medicine, Solna performs research on different aspect of allergy, immunology, and autoimmune diseases. The research group where the announced position will be placed is headed by Professor Karin Loré. The group is one of 5 independent groups active at the Division of Immunology and Allergy. Our research group is studying the immune mechanisms of vaccination. One focus in our group is how the innate immune system is activated by different vaccine platforms. Another focus is on how adaptive immune responses in particular antibody immunity can be enhanced by new vaccine technologies.

We are now seeking a highly motivated individual to join the group to work on a project evaluating the mRNA vaccine-based immune mechanisms regulating the quality of immune responses.

In addition to the main supervisor Karin Loré, the student will also have two co-supervisors: Associate Prof. Liv Eidsmo and Anna Smed Sörensen and Prof. Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren.

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student
The project aims at studying the early immune processes after administration of mRNA vaccines. The project also has a special focus on the development of vaccine-specific B cell responses and how the quality of antibodies induced by mRNA vaccines differs from conventional licensed vaccines. The studies will include work with primary immune cells using several approaches in cellular and molecular immunology and cell biology, as well as studies on animal and patient specimens.

The PhD student will learn to use and employ state-of-the-art methodology as well as unique materials to test novel hypotheses. The methods include tissue processing, direct isolation of cell subsets, ELISpot analysis, multi-parameter flow cytometry, PCR and sequencing. The project will include a substantial part of bioinformatic analyses.

The PhD student is expected to join research-related activities such as group meetings, departmental seminars, national/international meetings, as well as take part in routine work within our research team. Finally, the PhD student will work to fulfil the course requirements of the PhD program as outlined in the relevant rules and documentation available at the ki.se website.

Eligibility requirements for doctoral education
In order to participate in the selection for a doctoral position, you must meet the following general (A) and specific (B) eligibility requirements at latest by the application deadline.

It is your responsibility to certify eligibility by following the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education.

A) General eligibility requirement

You meet the general eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you:

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

Follow the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education.

*If you claim equivalent knowledge, follow the instructions on the web page Assessing equivalent knowledge for general eligibility for doctoral education.

B) Specific eligibility requirement

You meet the specific eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you:

• Show proficiency in English equivalent to the course English B/English 6 at Swedish upper secondary school.

Follow the instructions on the web page English language requirements for doctoral education.

Verification of your documents Karolinska Institutet checks the authenticity of your documents. Karolinska Institutet reserves the right to revoke admission if supporting documents are discovered to be fraudulent. Submission of false documents is a violation of Swedish law and is considered grounds for legal action.

Skills and personal qualities
For this PhD project we are seeking a highly motivated person with a strong desire to study the effects of vaccination on the immune system. The successful applicant should be self-motivated, needs to be fluent in English, have excellent communication skills and the ability to interact effectively and work productively in a team. Merit is previous lab experience in laboratories involved in related work and experience of international collaborations. Great advantage is experience in B cell and antibody analyses.

Terms and conditions
The doctoral student will be employed on a doctoral studentship maximum 4 years full-time.

Application process
Submit your application and supporting documents through the Varbi recruitment system. Use the button in the top right corner and follow the instructions.

Your application should contain the following documents:

• A personal letter and a curriculum vitae (Swedish or English)
• Degree projects and previous publications, if any (Swedish or English)
• Any other documentation showing the desirable skills and personal qualities described above (Swedish or English)
• Documents certifying your general eligibility (see A above)
• Documents certifying your specific eligibility (see B above)

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.

All applicants will be informed when the recruitment is completed.