Associate Senior Lecturer (SciLifeLab Fellow) in Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP)

Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy

The Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab) is a national center for leading edge technological infrastructures that supports large-scale data and hypothesis-driven research in the field of molecular biosciences. SciLifeLab (www.scilifelab.se) operates nationally, engaging all major Universities of Sweden including the four founding universities: Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University and Uppsala University. SciLifeLab brings together researchers across traditional boundaries and promotes collaborations with industry, healthcare, public research organizations and international partners. As a SciLifeLab Fellow, the recruited researcher will be part of the dynamic SciLifeLab community both locally in Uppsala and in Sweden at large. For information about the SciLifeLab fellow program, see https://www.scilifelab.se/research/#fellows . SciLifeLab Fellows are also part of a broad national network of future academic leaders within SciLifeLab and Wallenberg’s national program for data-driven life science (DDLS fellows) and the fellow programs at the Wallenberg Centers for Molecular Medicine (WCMM fellows), within the network Program for Academic leaders in Life Science, PALS, see https://www.palsnetwork.se.

SciLifeLab is currently looking for an excellent research group leader to reinforce the Uppsala research environment. The position will be within the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, with departmental affiliation decided in conjunction with the appointment.

Description of subject area
Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) are medicines with an active therapeutic substance based on genes, cells or tissues. Gene therapy is aimed at correcting genetic diseases or treat diseases by modifying or changing a gene or a gene fragment in the cells of a patient.   Somatic cell therapy can include modifying cells or tissues to change their original function as part of the treatment. Tissue engineered medicinal products are cells or tissues that have been modified to repair, form or replace patient tissues. Adaptation to the make-up of an individual is a key aspect of ATMP, and the heterogeneity of a product (within a product batch or product characteristics, depends on the donor cells and varies between donors) can affect its efficiency and safety. Transport of cells from the patient to the laboratory and the laboratory environment can further complicate the production. 

Standardization around how an ATNP is produced and characterized is under development. It is important to better understand how advanced pharmaceutical products are affected by various factors and thereby also optimize the treatment. This may include examining databases describing product development, including formulation strategies, and intra-product and inter-patient variability for different ATMPs. It also includes tissue/cell harvesting, laboratory handling, logistical development and immune-related side effects.    

The position includes research in ATMP in one of the following areas: (1) development of new ATMP for the treatment of disease, (2) studies on how product quality, formulation and manufacturing, together with patient factors, affect the efficacy and toxicity of the final product, (3) ATMP studies with a focus on how the effectiveness and safety of these products contribute to prescribing and influencing the development of health economic models of value when introducing these new medicinal products.

Duties
Research, teaching and administration. Duties also include supervising doctoral students in their research projects and participating in first-cycle courses and study programmes at the department. The successful candidate will also be required to follow developments within the relevant fields of science, and any general societal development of significance to the interests of the University. Administrative tasks and internal and external elected office duties may arise. The position is intended to lead to the development of an independent research profile with national and international impact. The successful candidate is expected to strengthen the University’s contribution to SciLifeLab (www.scilifelab.se ).

Period of eployment
An appointment as an associate senior lecturer is a six-year career-development position; however, if extraordinary reasons exist, the appointment may be renewed. An associate senior lecturer may apply for promotion. If the associate senior lecturer is deemed suitable and meets the requirements for promotion, he or she shall be promoted and will receive tenure as a senior lecturer.

Qualification requirements
According to Chapter 4 Section 4a of the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance, a person qualified for appointment as an associate senior lecturer is a person who has been awarded a PhD or has the corresponding research expertise. Primary consideration should be given to a person who has been awarded a PhD or achieved the equivalent expertise within five years of the deadline for applications. According to the University’s Appointment Regulations, general qualification requirements for teachers also include the possession of those personal attributes deemed necessary to fulfil the demands of the position.

The applicant shall have a documented ability to teach in Swedish or English. Upon promotion to a higher teaching position, the applicant must demonstrate adequate skills in both Swedish and English to be able to contribute to the University’s internal work. See section 6, AR.

Assessment criteria
In selecting qualified applicants, greater importance will be placed on research expertise than on teaching expertise. Emphasis will also be placed on collaboration skills in the form of demonstrated skills in building national and international collaborations.

When assessing the scientific skill, special emphasis will be placed on a competitive profile and the applicant´s ability to contribute to the future development of ATMP-related research.

Research expertise refers to research qualifications. In the assessment of research expertise, research quality shall be the primary consideration. The scope of research in terms of breadth, depth and relevance to the position will also be afforded consideration. Furthermore, consideration shall be given to the ability to plan, initiate, lead and develop research and third-cycle studies and to obtain research funding in competition, as will the ability to interact with others both within academia and the wider community, cf. §§ 20 and 21 of the Appointment Regulations and § 11 of the Guidelines and Assessment Criteria for Recruitment and Promotion within the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Teaching expertise refers to teaching qualifications. In the assessment of teaching expertise, quality shall be the primary consideration. Scope, both in terms of breadth and depth, shall also be afforded consideration. Furthermore, consideration shall be given to the ability to plan, initiate, lead and develop courses, study programs and teaching, as well as the ability to relate teaching to current research. Teaching expertise includes the ability to interact with stakeholders within and outside the University on issues related to learning and teaching in higher education, cf. §§ 22, 23 and 38 of the Appointment Regulations and § 12 of the Guidelines and Assessment Criteria.

The applicant should have completed at least five weeks training in teaching and learning in higher education relevant to the area, or have equivalent skills. If the applicant was unable to complete such a qualification prior to employment, the qualifying training in teaching and learning in higher education must be completed during the first two years of employment. See section 39 AR.

Assesment criteria
Administrative and leadership skill are significant to the position and will be assigned weight. The ability to collaborate with the surrounding community and to inform the public about research and development will be considered.

Administrative skill is demonstrated, for example, through the capacity to plan, organise and prioritise work in an efficient and task-related manner, as well as through the ability to assign and observe time frames. Skill includes overall operational planning and the capacity to manage resources in a way that reflects operational priorities, as well as the ability to work in a structured manner based on an awareness of goals and quality. See Section 28 AR and Section 13 GA.

Leadership skill is important to the position and will be afforded due consideration. Leadership skill is demonstrated through the ability to lead operations and employees, make decisions, assume responsibility and motivate and provide others with the conditions necessary to attain common goals. The ability to coordinate the group and contribute to generating commitment, participation and job satisfaction and the ability to manage conflicts are further examples of demonstrated skill. See Sections 30-31 AR and Section 13 GA.

When assessing collaborative skill, experience with and skill in education and outreach, editorships and other activities related to knowledge exchange between the University and the surrounding community, as well as experience with innovation and entrepreneurship, shall be of significance. See Section 14 GA.

All qualifications must be documented so that both quality and degree can be assessed. Personalcircumstances (such as parental leave) that may be in the applicant’s favour in the evaluation of qualifications should be stated in the list of qualifications and experience.

When the University appoints new teachers, those applicants must be selected who, following a qualitative holistic assessment of their competence and skill, are judged to have the best potential to carry out and develop the relevant duties and to help advance operations. See AR § 4.

The gender-equality aspect must be applied in an appointment if it is determined following a qualitative assessment that two applicants of different gender have equal or approximately equal qualifications and if either gender is under-represented (comprises less than 40% within the relevant category of posts and in the relevant workplace).

Other: The appointment is linked to the SciLifeLab program, meaning that basic financing is in place of SEK 14 million total over six years.

During the evaluation of submitted applications, international referees may be used. In this event, the University may need to send applications that are written in Swedish to a qualified translator.

For rules and guidelines, please refer to: Guidelines and Assessment Criteria.

Appointment and Regulations for Uppsala University

For instructions for applying for teaching posts, please refer to:

Qualifications portfolios. Rules and guidelines

About the employment: Start date by agreement. Form of employment: Full time position, temporary, maximum of six years. Scope of appointment: 100%

For further information about the position please contact: Dean Karin Forsberg Nilsson, [email protected], 018-471 4158 and Dean Mathias Hallberg, [email protected], 018-471 4141.