Postdoctoral Researcher in neuro-immune mechanisms in arthritis

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to conduct studies focused on the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which inflammation affects the nervous system, including pathways involved in pain, neuronal dysfunction, and structural brain changes. The position is situated within a research environment with strong expertise in neurobiology, sensory systems, and neuro‑immune interactions.

Your mission

The research project aims to identify and characterize mechanisms contributing to the development and maintenance of acute and chronic pain. The work involves advanced histological and neurobiological methods, as well as experimental models used to investigate interactions between the nervous system and the immune system. 

Example of duties

• Immunohistochemical analyses, including tissue preparation, staining, microscopy, and quantitative image analysis
• Animal‑based experimental studies in rodent models, including behavioral testing and tissue collection
• Analysis of neuronal and glial alterations associated with pain
• Planning, execution, and documentation of experimental studies
• Collaboration with researchers in neuroscience, immunology, and molecular biology 

Your profile

Required qualifications

• PhD in neuroscience, physiology, biomedicine, or a related discipline
• Documented experience in immunohistochemistry
• Experience in animal research (FELASA certification or equivalent)
• Ability to work independently, systematically, and with high scientific rigor
• As much of the communication takes place in English, excellent English proficiency is required

Meritorious

• Experience in experimental neuroscience
• Knowledge of pain models or neuro‑immune interactions
• Experience with advanced microscopy and image analysis (e.g., confocal microscopy, ImageJ/Fiji)
• Scientific publications in relevant research areas 
• Experience in giving presentations and project management 

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctoral researcher, a PhD or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a Swedish PhD is required. This eligibility requirement must be fulfilled at the latest at the time of the employment decision. Completion of your doctoral degree within the last three years is considered an advantage. If there are special reasons, your degree may have been completed earlier.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. At KI, you get to meet researchers working with a wide range of specialisms and methods, giving you ample opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with the various scientific fields within medicine and health. It is the crossover collaborations, which have pushed KI to where it is today, at the forefront of global research. Several of the people you meet in healthcare are educated at KI. A close relationship with the health care providers is important for creating groundbreaking top quality education and research. Karolinska Institutet is also a state university, which entitles you to several benefits through our collective agreement.

Location

The position is located within the Department of Medicine, Solna. The department consists of ten divisions, and each division consists of several research groups. The position is located within the research group of adj professor Jon Lampa and investigates the neuro-immune mechanisms behind rheumatic pain and fatigue, the effects of immune regulating therapies in this context, as well as neurological mechanisms related to aging. Responsible researcher for the latter project is assistant professor Caroline Wasén.

The research group is a a part of the Division of Rheumatology. In recent years, the division has led several EU‑funded and ERC‑funded projects. The rheumatology research laboratory is located at the Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM), a clinically integrated research unit that hosts several major inflammation‑focused research groups. The proximity between CMM and NKS strengthens the link between basic research and modern technologies in, for example, genetics and immunology.

--- [Video about a Karolinska Institutet, how we work towards "a better health for all"] --

Application

An employment application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

• PhD certificate
• A complete resumé, including date of the thesis defence, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work
• A complete list of publications
• A summary of current work (no more than one page)

KI applies individual and differentiated salary setting in accordance with our collective agreements RALS and RALS-T

The application is to be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

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

1. Jon Lampa, [email protected]

1. Louisa Cheung, SACO, [email protected]
2. Farzad Hedayaty, SACO-s, [email protected]
3. Maria Eldh, OFR/ST, [email protected]