Doctoral student in Medical Science -

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Doctoral position in Medical Science

Project title: Role of group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells in the pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, is located at the Institute of Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. Inflammation is the main topic of the research conducted within the department. Our research groups perform studies of inflammatory diseases, whether caused by allergy, infection, or autoimmune disease. The goal is to investigate the mechanisms underlying the body's tissues become inflamed. Many of our researchers are also working as a specialist physician at the clinic at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, which is also one of our greatest assets.

General information about being a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg can be found on the university's doctoral student pages https://medarbetarportalen.gu.se/doktorand/?languageId=100001&skipSSOCheck=true     

The PhD education in Medical Science comprises carrying out a scientific project and completing at least 30 credits of courses at third-cycle level. The doctoral student must also write a scientific compilation thesis or monograph corresponding to at least 120 credits. For more information about third-cycle studies at Sahlgrenska Academy, see https://www.gu.se/en/sahlgrenska-akademin/doctoral-studies

Project: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease associated with chronic pain, functional disability, an overall reduced quality of life for the affected individual. Despite tremendous progress in the treatment of RA, a large portion of patients still don’t respond to the current therapies and thereby fail to achieve disease remission. Therefore, there is still a great need for new therapeutic agents that can help bring more patients into disease remission. The pathogenesis of RA depends on a complex interplay between the immune system and a group of local joint stromal cells, called fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). Immune-mediated activation of FLS play a key role in the chronic synovial inflammation and subsequent joint destruction that occurs during RA. Therefore, inflammatory mediators promoting FLS activation are considered to be important drug targets in RA. My group has discovered a previously unrecognized mechanism of FLS activation by a group of immune cells called group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells (ILC2s).

Thus, the objective or this doctoral project is to determine if ILC2 play an unrecognized pathogenic role in RA by promoting FLS-driven joint damage. By combining mechanistic studies in mouse models of arthritis, studies on unique human material and functional studies in cell-based assays we aim to; 1) demonstrate that ILC2 enhance development of arthritis in mice through production of the fibroblast-activating growth factor amphiregulin (AREG), 2) provide evidence whether AREG-producing ILC2 are enriched within the synovium of RA patients and 3) establish a causative connection between AREGproducing ILC2 and joint-destructive behavior of FLS. Together, results from these studies will help to accelerate the identification of novel disease mechanisms in RA, which is of critical importance for the development of new and more efficacious therapies. This translational project will provide the doctoral student with a broad scientific education that covers both experimental modelling of autoimmunity as well as studies on unique human materials.

Education at third-cycle level comprises four years of full-time study, and leads to a doctoral degree.  As part of your employment as a doctoral student, you may have departmental duties corresponding to up to 20 % of full-time employment, distributed throughout your study period. Departmental duties usually consist of teaching at first- and second-cycle levels, but may also include research and administration.    

Education at third-cycle level requires general eligibility and specific eligibility as set out in the general syllabus for the subject.  

The general eligibility requirements for education at third-cycle level are:
1. having completed a degree at second-cycle level, or
2. the fulfilment of course requirements totalling at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits must be at second-cycle level, or
3. the acquisition of equivalent knowledge in some other way, either in Sweden or abroad.
Specific entry requirements for this subject, according to the general syllabus, are:
having completed the English B/6 course or is considered to have acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies. 

The selection of applicants who are considered to have the ability required to benefit from the study programme and who meet the general and specific eligibility requirements are assessed based on the following documented qualifications:
- specific knowledge and skills within the subject area and related research fields
- experience of scientific theory and relevant research methodology
- scientific analysis and presentation verified through thesis, degree project, scientific journals or the like.    

Once you have been admitted for education at third-cycle level, you will be employed as a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg. The provisions for employment as a doctoral student can be found in ordinance SFS 1993:100. Initial employment as a doctoral student may apply for a maximum of one year, and may be renewed by a maximum of two years at a time. A doctoral student may be employed as a doctoral student for a maximum of eight years, but the total period of employment may not be longer than the equivalent of full-time education at third-cycle level for four years.   

Location: Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Medicine, Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research. Extent: 100%. First day of employment: as agreed.

The University applies a local agreement on salaries for doctoral students.   

For more information about the project please contact the principal supervisor,
Mattias Svensson, Institute of Medicine, e-mail: [email protected]

Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg can be found here:
https://www.gu.se/om-universitetet/jobba-hos-oss/hjalp-for-sokande      

You can apply to be admitted for education at third-cycle level via the University of Gothenburg’s recruitment portal. It is your responsibility to ensure that the application is complete as per the vacancy notice, and that the University receives it by the final application deadline.   

You must include the following, in pdf format

• Personal letter
• CV
• Diploma and transcripts showing that you meet with the general entry requirement
• Proof of completion of English 6 course or the acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies

If your degree is from a university outside of Sweden, make sure that you attach a diploma and full transcripts that makes assessing your degree easier.  

If your degree has not been verified by a Swedish authority you need to provide contact details to the issuing university, registrar or similar, that can verify the degree at our request.

For information on what you need to submit in order to fulfill the English language requirement see https://www.universityadmissions.se/en/entry-requirements/english-language-requirements/

Applications must be received by: 2023-02-21

Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit: 

https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/welcome-services
https://www.movetogothenburg.com/  

The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations.

Salaries are set individually at the University.

In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden’s regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed.

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.