Doctoral student position in Synthetic biology for targeting glioblastoma - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

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 research group of Sten Linnarsson is located at Biomedicum in the Molecular Neurobiology unit, at the Department for Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, MBB. The Mol Neuro unit is a highly creative and collaborative environment that shares expertise, equipment and lab space between groups in the unit. The unit has regular seminars where students and post docs present their work and get feed-back from the unit members.

Linnarsson lab currently consists of 16 members and have a weekly group meeting where members present their work and discuss scientific publications. All students have weekly scheduled meetings with their supervisor and collaborators. All members of the group are encouraged to participate in workshops and conferences and interact with scientists within KI as well as internationally.

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

The main project is to create solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) to be used as transfection vectors for transfection of glioblastoma (GBM) cell lines, GBM organoids and murine animal xenotransplantation models. The long-term goal is to develop vectors that specifically target  and eliminate GBM cells

The prospective student will be responsible for set up a SLN production pipeline through a microfluidics platform including quality control of particle size and integrity and assessment of cargo encapsulation efficiency. In addition, the student will conduct transfection experiments wherein GBM cell lines/organoids/mice will be treated with SLNs. The project also involve single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and data analysis of both target and off-target cell populations.

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

The prospective student is expected to proceed in a semi-autonomous manner when designing experiments and possess knowledge in SLN manufacture and microfluidics. General mammalian cell culture technique under BSL-2 conditions is required of the applicant, Previous experience with handling, staining and imaging biological samples through fluorescence microscopy is also sought after. Prior experience with cloning and bacterial propagation/purification of DNA constructs is necessary.

Fluency in at least a programming language and basic bioinformatics skills are required as well, The student is expected to develop their own scripts to parse large datasets. Having worked with single-cell data specifically is desirable.

Tidiness and being able to work under strict hygiene conditions is of the essence, as is careful tracking of data across many preparations, tests, and experiments. The candidate is expected to display engagement with the topic at hand and contribute substantially to the experimental design of their activities, with the goal of achieving a high degree of independence. Good communication skills and the ability to coordinate with a diverse group of researchers are expected of the applicant as well.

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. We prefer that your application is written in English, but you can also apply in Swedish.

Your application must contain the following documents:

- 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.

Want to make a difference? Join us and contribute to better health for all