Research specialist in cell and gene therapy with the development of targeted nanoparticles for CRISPR and mRNA therapies

The Department of Laboratory Medicine consists of seven departments within which both research and teaching are conducted. The department is involved in advanced research in both basic and applied research. The Division of Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine focuses on the use of modified biomolecules, cells and cell products as novel therapeutic agents and the identification and study of suitable biomolecular and cellular targets for therapy and diagnosis.

Currently, Assistant Professor Joel Nordin is looking for a research specialist for a permanent position in the Joel Nordin research group.

Our research in the Nordin lab focuses on one of the biggest challenges of modern therapy,
namely delivery. Despite the knowledge of diseases and their mechanisms, many promising therapeutic approaches are still clinically unavailable. There is no effective way to deliver these therapies to the right organ at the right dose. The Nordin Group is developing innovative cell and gene therapies for advanced applications.

We have developed a new method to screen target proteins for extracellular vesicles (EVs). With our new system, we believe we will be able to radically increase targeting capacity. The new method uses NGS to find variants that increase uptake in certain organs. With increased targeting, we can start to realize the potential for delivery of EVs to hard-to-reach tissues, such as the CNS and bone marrow.

As a Research Specialist, you will work on the development of biotechnological targeted
nanoparticles. Most of the research will be performed using cell lines and animal models. The overall goal of the project is to develop natural nanoparticles that are efficiently loaded with specific macromolecules such as Cas9, mRNA and siRNA. mRNA and Cas9 therapies, which have gained increased interest with the emergence of covid vaccines in clinical medicine and the entry of Cas9-mediated therapies into clinical trials. However, the delivery vectors used today often lead to side effects after systematic repeated injections and mainly deliver mRNA/Cas9 to the liver.

In this project, we will therefore use extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are natural non-toxic nanoparticles released by all cells. EVs contain macromolecules, such as mRNA and
proteins, and can be engineered to be loaded with different types of cargo, such as mRNA, siRNA and CRISPR/Cas9. We are therefore aiming to improve both loading and targeting and ultimately unlock the potential of EV-mediated delivery to hard-to-reach tissues. This would allow us to treat several diseases that are out of reach today.

To be eligible for employment as a Research Specialist, in addition to holding a Degree of Doctor, PhD, or having equivalent scientific expertise, the applicant must have demonstrated research expertise as well as have documented research experience after defending their doctoral dissertation.

Excellent knowledge of English in both speech and writing is a requirement. In addition, it is also required to have:

• A solid background in molecular biology
• Experience working with screening of genetic libraries. E.g. CRISPR screens or similar
• Practical experience in laboratory work in the following areas: PCR, cloning, cell culture, lentivirus production, NGS sequencing and bioinformatics for sequencing

It is particularly meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Extensive experience in PCR and PCR primer design as well as purification of DNA and RNA from various tissues and cells

It is meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Experience in the EV or virus field and experience in molecular cloning

As a person, we would like you to be energetic and passionate and to fit in and actively contribute to our team.

In this recruitment, we place great importance on personal characteristics.

After an overall assessment of the expertise and merits of the applicants in relation to the subject area, Karolinska Institutet will determine which of them has the best potential to contribute to a positive development of the activities at KI.

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Here, 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: Flemingsberg, Huddinge

Read about The Division of Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine

Read about Research group Joel Nordin

We prefer that Your application is written in English, but You can also apply in Swedish. An application must contain the following documents: Resumé.

Welcome to apply at the latest 29 May.

The application must be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.