Postdoc in Stem Cell-based Models of Schizophrenia (joint KTH/KI)

Do you want to contribute to improving human health?
Neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia remain, comparatively, poorly understood in terms of their biomolecular and cellular basis. We are seeking a passionate postdoc who will help establish a new collaboration between two open, dynamic, and international research teams; those of Prof. Sellgren at Karolinska Institute (Physiology and Pharmacology), and of Prof. Winkler at KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Micro- and Nanosystems). Together, we aim to shed light on the complex perivascular dysregulation of the blood-brain barrier, and whether this may point the way towards better avenues of treatment.

Job description

Embedded in our multidisciplinary team, you will design, conduct, analyze, and disseminate research on the role of pericytes as well as oxidative & nitrosative stressors in disrupted cellular signaling between endothelium and neuroglia in schizophrenia.
You will leverage induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to establish/refine suitable models of neurovascular cells, studying them with techniques ranging from imaging, to qPCR, to metabolomics – including also validation against clinical samples. You will be expected to present your findings to the scientific community in publications and at conferences, to supervise junior students, and to contribute to administrative tasks, including research grant proposals.
While your work will initially and predominantly focus on 2D and 3D plate-based culture alongside other biologists, you will also collaborate with our engineers as they develop a microfluidic cell culture and analysis system to gain deeper insight from your models – the ultimate goal of our ERC-funded project CHIPzophrenia.

What we offer

• A position at a leading technical university that generates knowledge and skills for a sustainable future.
• Engaged and ambitious colleagues along with a creative, international, and dynamic working environment
• Collaboration with Karolinska Institutet, one of the world's leading medical universities. 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.
• Work in Stockholm, in close proximity to nature
• Help to relocate and settle in Sweden and at KTH.

Read more about what it's like to work at KTH and our benefits.

Qualifications

Requirements

• A doctoral degree or an equivalent foreign degree, in neuroscience, biology, bioengineering, or related fields. This eligibility requirement must be met no later than the time the employment decision is made.
• Extensive research expertise regarding culture and differentiation of iPSC, as well as their biomolecular analysis, substantiated by a record of impactful publications.
• Collaborative abilities & independence: The ideal candidate has exceptional drive, creativity, and organizational skills. They should have a deep sense of responsibility, take initiative, and be enthusiastic about advancing both their own research and the larger project. To that end, they can fruitfully integrate into a multidisciplinary team, including on an interpersonal level.
• Good communication skills, with fluent spoken and written English which is necessary for the work tasks.

Preferred qualifications

• A doctoral degree or an equivalent foreign degree, obtained within the last three years prior to the application deadline.
• Specific expertise with iPSC-based models of either the neurovascular unit, or alternatively of neuropsychiatric disorders.
• Experience with research grant applications, and/or of teaching/supervision.
• Awareness of diversity and equal treatment issues with a particular focus on gender equality.

Great emphasis will be placed on personal skills.

Trade union representatives

Contact information to trade union representatives.

To apply for the position

Log into KTH's recruitment system to apply for this position. You are responsible for ensuring that your application is complete according to the instructions in the ad. The application must include:

• Your motivation for this specific project and why you are the right person for the job (max. 1 page)
• Comprehensive academic CV

Your complete application must be received at KTH no later than the last day of application, midnight CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

About the employment

The position offered is for, at the most, three years.

A position as a postdoctoral fellow is a time-limited qualified appointment focusing mainly on research, intended as a first career step after a dissertation.

Others

Striving towards gender equality, diversity and equal conditions is both a question of quality for KTH and a given part of our values.

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It may be the case that a position at KTH is classified as a security-sensitive role in accordance with the Protective Security Act (2018:585). If this applies to the specific position, a security clearance will be conducted for the applicant in accordance with the same law with the applicant's consent. In such cases, a prerequisite for employment is that the applicant is approved following the security clearance.

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Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.