Doctoral (PhD) student position in reproductive toxicology - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Do you want to contribute to improving human health?

To be a doctoral student means to devote oneself to a research project under supervision of experienced researchers and following an individual study plan. For a doctoral degree, the equivalent of four years of full-time doctoral education is required.

The research group

The doctoral education project will be carried out in Docent Pauliina Damdimopoulou’s research laboratory at the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology of Karolinska Institutet. Research and education at the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology are focused on the many aspects of women’s reproductive health as well as fetal physiology and stem cell biology.

Damdimopoulou laboratory is located at the Campus Flemingsberg of Karolinska Institutet and focuses on human ovarian biology as well as effects of toxic chemicals on fertility.

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

The aim of this doctoral education project is to study the effect of stressors like EDCs on different ovarian cell populations. In addition, associated adverse outcome pathways will be developed to aid chemical risk assessment for female reproductive toxicity.

The duties of the doctoral student include cell and tissue culture, histological analyses, transcriptomic analyses of ovarian tissue and adverse outcome pathway development. Techniques utilized will include in vitro culture of human ovarian tissue samples, cytotoxicity and proliferation assays, cryopreservation of human ovarian tissue, isolation and culture of primary ovarian cells, single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing, as well as bioinformatics analyses in R.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment full of expertise and curiosity. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Our vision is to pursue the development of knowledge about life and to promote a better health for all. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. As a doctoral student you are offered an individual research project, a well-educated supervisor, a vast range of elective courses and the opportunity to work in a leading research group. Karolinska Institutet collaborates with prominent universities from all around the world, which ensures opportunities for international exchanges. You will be employed on a doctoral studentship which means that you receive a contractual salary. Employees also have access to our modern gym for free and receive reimbursements for medical care.

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.

(A) and (B) can only be certified by the documentation requirement for doctoral education.

Skills and personal qualities

We are looking for a person with a MSc (master) degree in suitable medical or natural sciences, preferably in toxicology, biosciences or reproductive biology. The candidate must have hands-on experience from mammalian cell culture, gene expression analysis techniques, and biostatistics. The following skills are considered as merits: adverse outcome pathway development, evaluation of human ovarian histology, chemical toxicity testing, RNA-sequencing experience, bioinformatics analyses, and knowledge of reproductive biology.

The research environment is international, and the project involves tight collaboration with several other European research groups and clinicians. Fluency in spoken and written English is therefore a necessity, as well as good social skills. The project will also require meticulous documentation, and the candidate must have a detailed, careful and well-organized work ethic.

Finally, the successful candidate must be self-driven and motivated, able to work independently and in a team, and capable of trouble shooting and coordinating work between different laboratories. We put great emphasis on personal qualities in the selection of candidates.

Terms and conditions

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

Location: Flemingsberg

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 must contain the following documents. We prefer that your application is written in English, but you can also apply in Swedish:

- A personal letter and a curriculum vitae
- Degree projects and previous publications, if any
- Any other documentation showing the desirable skills and personal qualities described above
- 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.

Karolinska Institutet 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.

Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology - CLINTEC

Research Group - Chemicals and female fertility

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