Doctoral (PhD) student position in biology of gamma delta T cells - 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

Our lab has two main research interests: 1) mechanisms of cell fate decisions in humoral immune responses underlying the formation of immunological memory and 2) biology of innate-like lymphocytes.

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

Three lineages of lymphocytes – B cells, abT cells and gdT cells – constitute the adaptive immune system of all jawed vertebrates. While antigen receptor specificities and therefore functions of B cells and abT cells are well-understood, functions and principles of antigen recognition by gdT cells remain unclear and the nature of these antigens is largely elusive.  The overall goal of this PhD project is to understand the role of recognition of self-ligands by gdT cells. To this end, the PhD candidate will pursue the following aims:

1. Unbiased identification of gdTCRs recognizing endogenous ligands. 2. Characterization of functional consequences of self-ligand recognition by gdT cells. 3. Search for gdTCR ligands.

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 candidate should be experienced in advance flow cytometry, ELISA, cell culture (including work with retroviral vectors), molecular cloning, cDNA library screening, Western blot, qPCR, work with mice (ideally including experience in generation of retro genic models), handling of human and/or non-human primate biological samples. International experience (work in labs abroad) is a plus. Additional emphasis will be placed on personal suitability.

Terms and conditions

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

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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.

Location

The employment will be at the Department of Medicine, Solna. The Department consists of twelve divisions and each division consists of several research groups. This position is located within the research group Taras Kreslavskiy. 

The successful candidate will join an international team of enthusiastic researchers. Stockholm is a vibrant international mega polis with one of the highest quality of living standards in the world. The Karolinska Institute is one of the centers of excellence for biomedical research in the world (ranked as 8th in the world in Life Sciences and Medicine by QS World University Ranking). It possesses cutting edge infrastructure including facilities for flow cytometry, microscopy, NGS sequencing (the institute is one of the world leaders in single cell RNA-Seq) and transgenic technologies.

Research group

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