Postdoctoral researcher in medicine with focus on social health and sex differences

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

We are searching for a postdoc to join Assistant Professor Anna Marseglia within the Westman neuroimaging group, working in a dynamic and collaborative environment. Our research focuses on unraveling the heterogeneity and complexity of healthy and pathological aging, driven by conditions such as Alzheimer’s and cerebrovascular disease. This project is part of research with a goal to understand resilience mechanisms in aging. You will be part of a multidisciplinary team with expertise across geriatric epidemiology, psychology, medical sociology, neuroscience, and engineering. Independent work is balanced with strong collaboration, and we welcome and support your ideas and initiatives.

Your mission

Your mission is to lead an innovative project exploring how changes in social health, from mid- to late-life and within late-life, impact cognition and two resilience mechanisms—brain maintenance and cognitive reserve—focusing on biological and socio-cultural factors relevant to women’s health. This project applies a cutting-edge social health framework and Artificial Intelligence-driven biological markers of resilience, to investigate sex-specific influences and their drivers.
You will work with extensive longitudinal datasets, including but not limited to the Swedish Betula Cohort and the UK Biobank, and collaborate with national and international experts in aging, social health, and resilience.

Duties and responsibilities

Develop and refine research questions within the project framework. Conduct advanced statistical analyses on longitudinal data applying methods like linear and nonlinear mixed-effect models (e.g., spline-based, fixed/random change-point), latent class analysis, and growth mixture models. Prepare and publish high-quality scientific articles; optionally, write lay summaries for the broader audience. Write and contribute to grant applications to support ongoing and future research. Assist in training and mentoring students, fellows, visiting researchers, and participate in teaching. Present research findings at seminars, conferences, and other professional forums. Participate in regular meetings and engage in collaborations.

The position is a temporary employment for 2 years.

Your profile

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctor - a Ph D or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a Swedish Ph D is required. This eligibility requirement must be fulfilled at the latest at the time of the employment decision. It is considered as an advantage if you have completed your doctoral degree within the last three years, if there are special reasons, your degree may have been completed earlier.

Requirements

• PhD or equivalent degree in biostatistics, bioinformatics, medical sciences, neuroscience, or related fields, with a strong interest in aging.
• Experience in modeling longitudinal data using advanced statistical methods, such as linear and nonlinear mixed-effect models, spline-based models, fixed/random change-point models, latent class analysis, growth mixture models (preferably applied to aging cohorts).
• Knowledge or training in epidemiology-related research methods, particularly in aging research.
• Proficiency in statistical software such as R, Stata, Python or similar.
• Experience handling large-scale, multimodal datasets.
• Strong communication skills in English, both spoken and written.

It is desirable if you have one or more of following experience in:

• Programming skills in R and Python, with experience in M-Plus, is a strong asset.
• Familiarity or prior experiences with UK Biobank data.
• Knowledge of sex differences in cognitive and brain health.
• Records of published high-quality scientific articles.
• A strong interest in data-driven research and interdisciplinary science, including AI/machine learning and medical sociology, with a focus on practical applications and problem-solving.

Personal attributes

We are looking for a candidate who is ambitious, driven and result-oriented. As the position involves working in an international environment, it is essential that have the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative mindset are key, along with the ability to build relationships and communicate effectively in an international environment.

Emphasis will be placed on personal suitability.

What do we offer?

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

The successful candidate will have the opportunities to growth professionally through mentorship, networking, and scientific outputs.

Location: Neo (Blickagången 16), KI Campus Flemingsberg

Read more about the Westman neuroimaging group

Choose to work at KI – Ten reasons why

Application

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

• A complete resumé, 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)

Welcome to apply at the latest 3rd of January, 2025.

The application is to be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

Permanent position is initiated by a six months trial period.

Want to make a difference? Join us and contribute to better health for all

The Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS) conducts world leading research in aging, dementia, epidemiology and care sciences. This research extends from basic molecular and cell levels to clinical research and societal studies. NVS educates almost a third of KI students at basic and advanced levels. The Department has approximately 540 employees and a revenue 2023 of 530 million SEK. It comprises seven divisions, located at Campus Flemingsberg and Campus Solna.

The Division of Clinical Geriatric, with over 100 employed and affiliated researchers are located both in Neo, Campus Flemingsberg and in the Q-building in Solna. We conduct research focusing on cognitive impairment, dementia, and other aging related disorders, and education, among other medical graduates. Our research is multi-faceted and is in close collaboration with leading institutions and clinics worldwide. The research is clinically oriented with an emphasis on diagnosis, prevention and treatment. The division has a close cooperation with the Medical Unit Aging within Theme Inflammation and Aging at Karolinska University Hospital.

1. Anna Marseglia, Assistant professor, anna.marseglia@ki.se
2. Eric Westman, Professor, Research group leader, eric.westman@ki.se
3. Liina Karlsson, HR-partner, 08-52483926

1. Henry Wölling, SEKO, henry.wolling@ki.se
2. Carina Eklund, OFR, 08-58582665
3. Helena Venuti, SACO, helena.venuti@ki.se