Doctoral (PhD) student position in Molecular Endocrinology

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 Fan laboratory is located at Department of Medicine Huddinge in the south campus of Karolinska Institutet and we are mainly interested in transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms underlying development of metabolic disorders such as obesity, T2D, MASLD and CVD. We utilize combinative OMICs approaches integrated with clinical cohorts and animal models to investigate the chromatin remodeling mechanisms involved in disease progression, with the major goal to identify key transcription factors and coregulators as potential therapeutic targets or diagnostic markers.

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

We aim to recruit a PhD student to study the epigenetic mechanisms controlling the over-nutritional and metabolic inflammatory responses of hepatocytes in the MASLD/MASH context. The student will develop state-of-the-art single cell technologies, and apply them to human and mouse liver to understand the transcriptional regulatory process involved in disease development.

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

To qualify for this position, we expect the student to:

1) Know the physiology of liver metabolic disorders. Previous experience of working with primary human or mouse hepatocytes is a plus.

2) Have a deep understanding of chromatin molecular biology. Previous experience with ChIPseq, CUT&TAG (CUT&RUN), ATACseq or single cell library preparation is preferred.

3) Have basic coding skills using R or Python. It will be a big plus if the student has experience in analyzing ChIPseq or single cell data.

4)  The successful applicant/doctoral student needs to be fluent in English, have excellent communication and collaboration skills, maintain a professional and positive attitude, and actively contribute to a supportive and cohesive team environment. We place great emphasis on personal suitability. 

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.

https://ki.se/en/research/research-areas-centres-and-networks/research-groups/liver-and-monocyte-remodelling-in-non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease-and-cardiovascular-disease-rongrong-fans-research-group#tab-start

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