Doctoral (PhD) student position in Developmental Biology with in utero next generation single cell lineage tracing

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 Andersson Lab is dedicated to uncovering the mechanisms that guide organ systems to develop their correct cellular identities and architectures. As developmental biologists, we explore why and how genetic mutations lead to specific defects during embryogenesis. Our research emphasizes innovation, as we design novel methods to analyze organ architecture and pioneering technologies to manipulate gene expression and embryonic development in mice. Our goal is to advance our understanding of fundamental developmental processes while contributing insights relevant to human health. The lab is supported by the Swedish Research Council, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and the European Research Council (ERC), among others. The Andersson lab is part of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at Karolinska Institutet, located in the BioMedicum Solna campus.

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

We are seeking a motivated PhD student to join an innovative ERC-funded project. Your aim will be to resolve embryonic cell fate lineages with unprecedented resolution using next generation single cell lineage tracing. The project builds on our establishment of in utero injection to manipulate the nervous system (Mangold et al, 2021), which we applied to barcode lineage tracing neural crest in collaboration (Kameneva & Artemov et al, 2021), and which can be combined with spatial transcriptomics (Ratz et al, 2022). The project involves further optimizing and automating in utero nano-injection methods to target multipotent cells at early developmental stages, enabling precise manipulation and lineage tracing of germ layer derivatives. Advanced techniques, including single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and lentiviral barcoding, will be employed to reconstruct lineage trees and uncover cell fate dynamics. The candidate will learn and use existing bioinformatic pipelines to resolve embryonic lineages based on embryonic barcoding, and will be expected to stay at the forefront of next generation single cell lineage tracing. The successful candidate will work in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment with access to world-class facilities and expertise in developmental biology, genetics, and computational analysis.

The ERC highlighted the project as an example of funded research, for more details, please see:

https://erc.europa.eu/news-events/news/consolidator-grants-2024-examples-projects#LIMITLESS

Please also see: https://news.ki.se/four-ki-researchers-awarded-2024-erc-consolidator-grant

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 creative, analytical, and ambitious candidate with a strong interest in developing and applying innovative methods in life sciences. Comfort with working with mice—or a willingness to develop this skill—is essential. Your role will involve both hands-on laboratory experiments and the use of computational tools to analyze data and draw meaningful conclusions.

You will be part of a multidisciplinary, international team and collaborate closely with other research groups. Therefore, we highly value individuals who take initiative, communicate effectively, and engage proactively with colleagues to achieve research goals.

We welcome candidates with expertise or a demonstrated interest in developmental biology and transcriptomics. Familiarity with R, Python, Jupyter, or similar computational tools is advantageous but not mandatory. As a PhD student, you will acquire most of the required skills during your doctoral studies. Therefore, the key qualities we value are a strong capacity to learn quickly, an openness to feedback, and a deep curiosity for discovery.

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 (Swedish or English) The personal letter should explain why the candidate is interested in developmental biology and lineage tracing, and which questions the student think are of interest to address in this project.
The letter should also describe the student’s perspective on the usefulness of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, for example in the course of the project. If ChatGPT or similar tools were used in the preparation of the application, then describe how the tool was used.

- 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