Doctoral (PhD) student position in cancer immunology and biology of innate-like T cells

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 successful candidate will join an international team of enthusiastic researchers. Stockholm is a vibrant international megapolis. Virtually everyone in Stockholm can speak English and English is the only working language of the group. The Karolinska Institute is one of the centers of excellence for biomedical research in the world (ranked #10 in the world in Life Sciences and Medicine by QS World University Ranking).

 Our lab studies cellular and molecular mechanisms of cell fate decisions in the immune system with a focus on two areas: 1) regulation of these decisions in humoral immune responses (Rauschmeier et al, J Exp Med, 2022; Glaros et al, Immunity, 2021) and 2) specificity, development and function of innate-like lymphocytes, in particular – γδT cells (You et al, Nat Immunol, 2024; Dunst et al, JLB, 2020; Kreslavsky et al, Nat Immunol, 2017).

 Our lab is part of the Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine within the Department of Medicine, Solna. We are based in the Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM) building on the Karolinska Solna campus, a hub for cutting-edge immunology research. CMM boasts one of the highest concentrations of immunology labs in Sweden, fostering a vibrant research environment. We actively collaborate with numerous immunology labs across multiple departments on both Karolinska campuses and participate in joint seminars.

 Full list of our publications can be found here: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=38BAIBgAAAAJ&hl=en 

Some examples of the recent projects are discussed in a Global Immunotalks seminar here: https://youtu.be/mFp7SNWWcIc?si=N6IyS8ok8G-gbKv5

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

All three classes of lymphocytes that constitute the adaptive immune system of jawed vertebrates – B cells, αβT cells and γδT cells – can be found in tumors. The types of antigens recognized by these lymphocytes, which in many ways determine their functions, are well understood for B cells and αβT cells. In contrast, the principles of antigen recognition by γδT cells, the nature of such antigens and the functions of these cells remain largely elusive – both in general and in the context of cancer. The rules of antigen recognition by γδT cells, and impact of this recognition on their functions remain arguably among the most significant unresolved fundamental questions in immunology. We have recently established a universal pipeline for rapid screening of γδT cell receptor reactivities and identification of their antigens (see Global Immunotalks seminar for further details). In this project the PhD student will apply it to investigate specificity and functions of γδT cells in human cancer.

γδT cells represent the most significant favorable cancer-wide prognostic population as revealed by a meta-analysis of expression signatures in 25 types of human malignancies (PMID: 26193342). γδT cells are thought to be particularly important early in life, recognize antigens in an MHC-independent fashion and are involved in the immune response to tumors that downregulate MHC. Neuroblastoma is a pediatric cancer that can express low levels of MHC I and can be highly infiltrated by γδT cells. This makes neuroblastoma a strong candidate for the exploration of the role of γδT cells in cancer and their possible exploitation in immunotherapy. Strikingly, the γδT cell compartment in neuroblastoma remained uncharacterized.

In our preliminary experiments, in collaboration with Ninib Baryawno’s lab we have demonstrated that neuroblastomas harbor clonally expanded cytotoxic γδT cells suggesting their recognition of tumor antigens and participation in the anti-tumor response. Indeed, several γδT cell receptors cloned from cytotoxic neuroblastoma γδT cells exhibited reactivity to neuroblastoma cells. In this project the PhD student will take advantage of our antigen identification pipeline to understand the antigen specificity of γδT cell in neuroblastoma. As the few known γδT cell antigens are nonpolymorphic and γδT cells do not exhibit alloreactivity, in the future this project could pave the way to the development of broadly applicable immunotherapeutic approaches. Thus, in this project the PhD student will contribute to finding the answer to arguably one of the biggest fundamental questions left unanswered in immunology – the principles of antigen recognition by γδT cells, while working in the context of human cancer.

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 highly motivated PhD student with a strong desire to study principles of immune system function. Passion for science and desire to work hard for its progress are the main requirements. Having prior wet lab experience is a strong advantage. Some knowledge of immunology and some experience with some of the relevant experimental approaches (e.g. flow cytometry, molecular biology techniques, scRNA-seq, bioinformatical analysis) could be beneficial. Applicants must have good English skills, good communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively and work productively in a team.

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.

Laboratory of lymphocyte biology – Team Taras Kreslavskiy

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