Postdoctoral Researcher in Geriatric Epidemiology - focus on aging and neurodegeneration biomarkers

The Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS) conducts world leading research in aging, dementia, epidemiology and care sciences. This research extends from basic molecular and cell levels to clinical research and societal studies. NVS educates almost a third of KI students at basic and advanced levels. The Department has approximately 520 employees and a revenue 2022 of 518 million SEK. It comprises seven divisions, located at Campus Flemingsberg and Campus Solna.

Aging Research Center (ARC), a division within NVS, is located at KI Campus Solna, Stockholm. It is a multidisciplinary academic environment, representing medicine (e.g., neurology, epidemiology, psychiatry, geriatrics), psychology (e.g., cognition, structural, functional, and molecular brain imaging), and social gerontology (e.g., sociology, public health, social epidemiology, social work). The center has around 70 employees, it has a strong focus on research with unique research resources, such as large-scale longitudinal studies and nationwide registries.

This postdoctoral position is a collaborative project between the NVS divisions Aging Research Center (ARC) and Neurogeriatrics. The successful candidate will be employed by ARC.

ARC is located at KI Campus Solna. It is a multidisciplinary academic environment, representing medicine (e.g., neurology, epidemiology, psychiatry, geriatrics), psychology (e.g., cognition, structural, functional, and molecular brain imaging), and social gerontology (e.g., sociology, public health, social epidemiology, social work). The division has around 70 employees, it has a strong focus on research with unique research resources, such as large-scale longitudinal studies and nationwide registries.

The Division of Neurogeriatrics conducts experimental and translational research related primarily to Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, but also more general molecular mechanisms with biomedical relevance are studied.

The present position is based on a project funded by the Swedish Research Council (VR), which overall goal is "to identify quantify the association between novel and known blood-based biomarkers of aging – including neurodegeneration biomarkers – and functional decline in older adults”. This project aims at increasing our knowledge concerning the biological mechanisms triggering complex clinical profiles in older adults, including frailty, sarcopenia, cognition and disability and possibly identifying novel targets of intervention to increase the healthspan of aging populations. Taking advantage of the well-characterized Swedish population-based Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K) we will analyze data of over 2000 individuals 60+ with more than 20 years of observation.

An important task for the selected candidate will be to contribute conceptually and methodologically to the research within this VR-funded project under the supervision of associate professor Davide L Vetrano (main supervisor) and professor Bengt Winblad. In addition, the person will have the opportunity to initiate their own projects. Production of reports and publications for peer-reviewed journals as well as other ways of disseminating knowledge become central tasks.

This is a temporary, full-time position for two years.

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

We are looking for a candidate that has the required background and the capability to work in a multidisciplinary team, to be independent and able to take initiatives as well as to find solutions proactively. The applicants must also possess good organizational skills, attention to detail, and communication abilities.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• A PhD in epidemiology, neuroscience, aging research, computational biology, bioinformatics or similar.
• Good/advanced epidemiology knowledge
• Good/advanced clinical knowledge, preferably in relation to chronic diseases and geriatric syndromes (e.g., frailty, multimorbidity, dementia).
• Proved experience in longitudinal data analysis and interpretation, preferably in the aging research field.
• Proved research experience and knowledge in the field of biomarkers of aging and/or neurodegeneration.
• Proved experience in writing and publishing in peer-reviewed journals of high-quality scientific papers.
• Excellent command of statistical software (e.g., Stata, SPSS, R).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Fluent in written and spoken English.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to work in a collaborative environment with researchers having quantitative and clinical backgrounds.
• Interest in professional development in the field of epidemiology field.
• Proactive attitude.

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: Solna, ARC

Information about the division of ARC

Information about the division of Neurogeriatrics

Choose to work at KI – Ten reasons why

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

• 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)

Welcome to apply at the latest 20th of February 2024.

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