Doctoral (PhD) student position in infection and immunology

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 PhD studies will be conducted in Assoc. Prof. Susanna Brighenti’s research group at ANA Futura, KI Campus Flemingsberg. The research performed in the laboratory of Assoc. Prof. S. Brighenti involves studies on the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB). The group has a focus to study immune responses at the site of infection eg. in the lung or lymph nodes, compared to peripheral blood using advanced cellular and molecular techniques. For this work, the group has collected unique clinical materials from TB infected patients and controls and also established relevant in vitro infection models with virulent Mtb strains and human cells. Majority of the work is conducted in a high-containment biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory. The Brighenti group has well-established collaborations with TB-endemic countries, primarily Ethiopia. The long-term goal of the group is to develop new host-directed immunotherapies that could support conventional treatment with antibiotics aiming to enhance patient recovery. 

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

This PhD project is highly laboratory-intensive including work in both BSL-2 and BSL-3 facilities. The student will use clinical materials obtained from patients infected with drug-susceptible or drug-resistant strains of Mtb that will be assessed with multiparametric flowcytometry, bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing techniques, multiplex protein assays as well as high-content microscopy and imaging. Laboratory Mtb strains as well as clinical Mtb strains obtained from the patients will be used for in vitro infections using different experimental models based on cells isolated from human blood and fluids. This work will routinely involve cell isolation and culture, bacterial cultures, infection of cells and Mtb growth assays. A large part of the data analyses will involve R programming and manual and unsupervised analyses using methods for dimensionality reduction of complex data sets such as UMAP, PCA, gene ontology analysis etc.

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 seeking a talented and enthusiastic doctoral candidate with an interest in global health infections and immunology who will take active part in experimental design, laboratory work and data analyses. The successful candidate should be prepared to work independently and be able to stay informed on developments in the research field, both scientifically and methodologically. Ongoing research and results will be presented on a regular basis in both written and oral form, which will be organized by the student.

• The student should be adaptable and persistent, and have excellent laboratory as well as communication and organizational skills, including the ability to work flexible hours and plan the work productively. The applicant must be able to integrate well into the group and like to work closely with other colleagues and staff members at the unit.
• Previous experience from working in a BSL-2 research lab and expertise in culture of human cells and bacteria including techniques such as peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) isolation and culture, multi (>12)-color flow cytometry and quantitative mRNA analysis as well as basic skills in R programming and statistical analyses in eg. GraphPad Prim are mandatory.
• Experience in work with macrophage differentiation and macrophage infection assays is highly desired. Additionally, training or experience from working in a BSL-3 laboratory, and methods such as mass cytometry, single-cell RNA-sequencing, microscopy, ELISA, and microbiomics analyses are considered a merit.

Terms and conditions

The doctoral student will be employed on a doctoral studentship 70% of full-time for a maximum of 5 years and 8 months.

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.

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