Postdoctoral research fellow in neurodegenerative disease genetics

Lunds universitet, Institutionen för kliniska vetenskaper Malmö

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 45 000 students and more than 8 000 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.

Description of the workplace
We study the biological processes behind Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. We work with cohorts of patients and cognitively healthy volunteers, who undergo extensive testing with brain imaging, biomarker measurements and neuropsychological testing, as well as animal and cell biology experiments. You can read more about the research here. The research group is led by Professor Oskar Hansson. The position is located at BMC in Lund.

AD is the most common cause of dementia. Genetic risk factors for AD have been identified both in large GWAS studies and in families with strong heredity for the disease. The project will contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which different genetic variants affect the risk of AD, in order to be able to develop new drugs against the disease.

The research will be conducted under the leadership of university lecturer Niklas Mattsson-Carlgren, Prof. Oskar Hansson and assistant university lecturer Jacob Vogel.

We care about creating a positive, respectful, and stimulating environment. We value communication and collaboration and a workplace that promotes learning and development for all employees. We are also committed to building a safe and positive environment for all employees through mutual respect and tolerance.

We offer
Lund University is a governmental authority, which means you get special benefits, generous holidays and a favorable occupational pension. We also have a flexible time agreement that creates good conditions for a balance between work and leisure. Read more on the university's website about being employed at Lund University.

Work duties
The postdoctoral fellow will study high-dimensional data from healthy control subjects, and patients with AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. The project will involve integrative omics analyses, where genetic data from large relevant cohorts are analyzed together with proteomics, metabolomics and quantitative neuropathology. The research will mainly consist of genetic/statistical analyses, writing of scientific articles, and presentations of results at national and international conferences. The majority of the research is carried out in collaboration with other members of the group. Other tasks within the research group may become relevant.

Eligibility
Appointment to a post-doctoral position requires that the applicant has a PhD, or an international degree deemed equivalent to a PhD. This eligibility requirement needs to be met no later than the time when the employment decision is made, and evidence that this requirement is met needs to have been sent in by this time. Candidates should have completed their PhD degree no more than three (3) years before the last date for applications. Under special circumstances, the doctoral degree can have been completed earlier. These circumstances refer to leave due to illness, parental leave, clinical work, positions of trust within trade union organizations or other similar circumstances.

Basis for assessment      
At Lund University, employment as a postdoctoral researcher provides opportunities for scientific and pedagogical merit. There is mainly room for merit in research, but also for certain higher education pedagogical training. Teaching may be included in the tasks. For the employment as a postdoctoral research, scientific ability will primarily be taken into account.

Qualifications

• Completed PhD in engineering, bioinformatics, genetics, statistics, computer science, mathematics, computational biology, or a related discipline
• Ability to work independently with genetic association studies (GWAS), including ability to independently handle relevant software (e.g. PLINK)
• Good knowledge of bioinformatics/statistical programming, eg in R, Python, or MATLAB
• Good knowledge of oral and written communication in English
• Very good communication, presentation and writing skills
• Good cooperation skills, analytical and initiative skills

Meritorious for the position:

• Specific interest in dementia and aging
• Experience working in Linux

Terms of employment
This is a full-time employment limited to 2 years, with a possible extension for up to one additional year. Preliminary start date 2024-01-01. The period of employment is determined in accordance with the agreement “Avtal om tidsbegränsad anställning som postdoktor” (“Agreement on fixed-term employment as a post-doctoral researcher”) between SACO-S, OFR/S and SEKO, dated November 19, 2021.

How to apply
The position is sought via the university’s recruitment system. Applications must include a personal motivation, CV, contact information of two references, a diploma (including a grade transcript) and other documents you wish to be considered.

The Faculty of Medicine is a part of Lund University, and is responsible for education and research within medicine and healthcare. Our academic programs are closely linked with the healthcare system and are firmly anchored in the faculty’s strong research tradition. Our research spans a broad field within experimental preclinical research, near-patient clinical research and health sciences research. The Faculty of Medicine, with its 1,800 employees and 2,700 students in Lund and Malmö, is a knowledge-intensive meeting place for students, teachers and researchers from all over the world.

The Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö is one of the six departments at the Faculty of Medicine, Lund University. We have a strong focus on clinical and epidemiological research and also conduct an extensive preclinical laboratory research.

We kindly decline all sales and marketing contacts.

• Type of employment: Temporary position
• Contract type: Full time
• First day of employment: 2024-01-01 or according to agreement.
• Number of positions: 1
• Full-time equivalent: 100
• City: Lund
• County: Skåne län
• Country: Sweden
• Reference number: PA2023/3007

Contact

• Oskar Hansson, +4640335036
• Adina Olnert, +4640391904

Union representative

• OFR/ST:Fackförbundet ST:s kansli, 046-2229362
• SACO:Saco-s-rådet vid Lunds universitet, kansli@saco-s.lu.se
• SEKO: Seko Civil, 046-2229366

Last application date: 26 November 2023, 11:59 PM CEST