Postdoctoral studies in tumor immunology (scholarship), Karolinska Institutet

Are you interrested in being a part of important medical cancer research? Then perhaps this scholarship is for you!

The main objectives of the Department of Oncology-Pathology are basic, translational and clinical research and educational activities related to cancer. Approximately 300 people from over 40 nations are currently working at the department. More than 30 research groups with various cancer research profiles are involved and there is around 120 PhD students. The Department of Oncology-Pathology is responsible for undergraduate courses in Pathology, Oncology and Forensic Medicine for medical students, as well as for Tumor biology courses for biomedicine students and Pathology courses for opticians. 

The Department of Oncology-Pathology is searching for a postdoctoral fellow to work on gene expression programs governing macrophage phenotypes during tumor development. The position is with Dr. Rolny, who shares the lab Dr. Larsson at SciLife Lab, Solna, KI. The two groups encompass wet-lab and dry-lab knowledge that spans from state-of-the-art molecular biology to complex animal tumor models and advanced bioinformatic analysis of large data sets. More details about the groups can be found at https://ki.se/en/onkpat/charlotte-rolnys-group and http://ki.se/onkpat/ola-larssons-forskargrupp .

Description of the project

Accumulation of Tumor-Associated Macrophages (TAMs) is associated with enhanced tumor progression and poor survival in most solid cancers. TAMs are plastic cells exhibiting states and phenotypes spanning from anti-tumor/immunostimulating (sometimes referred to as M1-like) to pro-tumor/immunosuppressive (also denoted M2-like). We previously showed that TAMs located in the vicinity of tumor vessels (perivascular TAMs) promote vessel abnormalization and fuel metastatic dissemination.

Our published and preliminary data suggest the relevance of such TAMs also in human cancers as their accumulation correlates with increased malignancy and metastasis. Furthermore, pro-tumor TAMs drive tumor growth by suppressing tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) that target tumor cells. Therefore, TAMs can play diverse and critical roles in cancer.

Yet, current knowledge of how such distinct TAM phenotypes manifest is limited. Intriguingly, we recently discovered that TAM immunosuppressive and pro-metastatic phenotypes are controlled mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) interacting protein kinase 2 (MNK2), which selectively modulates mRNA translation during tumor growth. Further, preliminary data indicate that MNK1 and MNK2 appear to have both distinct and overlapping activities in TAMs.

This arguesfor selective regulation of mRNA translation downstream of MNK1/2 playing overlooked roles in tuning the multitude of TAM phenotypes. The postdoctoral project  will further untangle  mechanisms that regulate TAMs’ pro-metastatic and immunosuppressive phenotypes  by employing in experimental tumor models and patient samples.

The post-doctoral fellow will lead and execute the intended project according to timelines and set goals. The candidate will also present his/hers work at group meetings and annual retreats as well as national and international conferences. 

Scholarships for postdoctoral qualification can be established for foreign researchers who place their qualifications in Sweden. The purpose of scholarships for postdoctoral qualification is to promote internationalization and contribute to research qualification after a doctorate or equivalent.

A scholarship for carrying out postdoctoral research can be granted for a maximum of two years within a four-year period following the receipt of a doctoral degree or equivalent.
To be eligible for a postdoctoral scholarship, the person must have obtained a doctorate, or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a doctorate. Applicants who have not completed a doctorate at the end of the application period may also apply, provided that all requirements for a completed degree are met before the (intended) start date of the post-doctoral education.

The head of the department determines whether their previous training and scholarly qualifications correspond to a Swedish doctorate or higher.

Other requirements

The ideal candidate is highly motivated, with an outstanding completed PhD thesis (or equivalent) and a strong drive for a future career in research. The candidate should be capable of generating novel ideas, acquire knowledge independently and possess sufficient computational skills to evaluate and develop ongoing projects. It is preferable that the applicant has a background in tumor immunology. Fluency in spoken and written English is required. At least one paper in a high-quality international peer-reviewed journal is necessary to be considered, additional academic merits will also be taken into an account. Because of the scope of the project, knowledge and experience in animal work, flow cytometry analysis and confocal microscopy imaging is required. Previous experience with the most common molecular biology techniques including cloning of genes of interest, lenti-virus production, western blot analysis, qPCR etc. is essential. In addition, personal suitability will be a factor in the selection process.

Type of scholarship

The amount is tax free and it is set for twelve months at a time, paid out on a six months basis. In exceptional cases, shorter periods may be acceptable.

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

• A complete curriculum vitae, 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)

The application is to be submitted on the Varbi recruitment system on May 31st at the latest.