Doctoral (PhD) student position in developmental neuroscience

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 position is in Eric Herlenius' research group at the Department of Women's and Children's Health, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet with Michael Hagemann-Jensen as co-supervisor. The Herlenius laboratory investigates the development and dysfunction of cardiorespiratory and autonomic control, with particular focus on how brainstem neural networks, inflammation, and inflammatory signalling contribute to breathing disorders in newborns and children. By integrating studies in patients with animal and in vitro models, the group aims to identify the molecular and neurodevelopmental mechanisms underlying respiratory dysfunction and translate these findings into improved biological and physiological markers, diagnostics, and therapeutic strategies

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

The PhD project aims to study perinatal development and regulation of vital cardiorespiratory brainstem neural networks. The overall objective is to define cellular and molecular mechanisms governing respiratory development, including the effects of inflammation and birth-related transitions on these networks.

The studies will combine rodent models with advanced molecular methods, including single cell-RNA-sequencing, with particular emphasis on Smart-seq3xpress and spatial transcriptomics methods including MERSCOPE, and TRISCO platforms. A central component of the project will be the computational analysis and integration of single-cell and spatial transcriptomic datasets.

The doctoral student will work with established and newly generated datasets in a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment with complementary expertise in single-cell and spatial genomics, developmental neuroscience, and cardiorespiratory physiology. The project is uniquely positioned to investigate how cellular states, gene-regulatory programs, and tissue context interact during normal development and disease, and to identify mechanistic links between molecular dysregulation and physiological dysfunction.

The doctoral student is expected to formulate research questions and hypotheses; design, conduct, and evaluate experiments; analyze complex multi-modal datasets; complete doctoral courses; write scientific manuscripts; and communicate research findings to both specialist and non-specialist audiences. The student will work closely with PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and other researchers in the Herlenius and Hagemann-Jensen laboratories.

The position is particularly suitable for a candidate with strong bioinformatics and programming skills. The student will be expected to develop and apply computational workflows, including statistical and deep-learning-based approaches, to analyze and integrate single-cell RNA-sequencing data with spatially resolved transcriptomic and tissue-imaging data. The student will present results regularly to both general and specialized scientific audiences.

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 applicant should be highly motivated, curious, and ambitious, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment. The applicant should have:

• A relevant academic background in bioinformatics, computational biology, molecular biology, biomedicine, biotechnology, neuroscience, or a related field.
• A solid understanding of molecular and cellular biology, including gene regulation.
• Experience in the analysis of biological and/or genomic data.
• Experience with scientific programming and data analysis, for example using R and Python.
• The ability to work systematically with complex datasets and independently acquire new analytical skills and approaches.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Meriting qualifications

The following qualifications are considered advantageous:

• Experience in the computational analysis of transcriptomic or multi-omics data, including data integration, differential gene-expression analysis, cell-type annotation, trajectory analysis, or inference of gene-regulatory programs
• Experience with single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, or related omics technologies.
• Experience working in Linux/Unix environments and with large-scale sequencing datasets.
• Knowledge of neuroscience, developmental biology, cardiorespiratory physiology, or autonomic regulation.
• Practical experience with molecular biology, cell biology, tissue processing, or advanced microscopy.
• Previous research experience, including participation in research projects, presentation of scientific results, or contribution to scientific publications.

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.

KI applies a salary scale when setting salaries for doctoral students.

Visit the Herlenius research group

Visit the Hagemann Jensen research group

Want to make a difference? Join us and contribute to better health for all

1. Eric Herlenius, [email protected]
2. Karin Björström, [email protected]

1. John Inge Johnsen , SACO, [email protected]
2. Bodil Moberg , OFR/ST, [email protected]
3. Robert Lindberg, SEKO, [email protected]