Postdoctoral studies in human uterine NK cell biology (scholarship)

Postdoctoral studies in (scholarship) Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research? We are looking for a highly

motivated postdoctoral fellow to join the research group of Professor Niklas Björkström at the Center for Infectious Medicine

(CIM), Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet. The group studies human tissue-resident natural killer (NK) cells,

and the position focuses on uterine NK cells: how they arise, how they adapt to the cyclically regenerating endometrium, and what

they do in early pregnancy. Through close collaborations with clinical units at Karolinska University Hospital, you will work

directly with unique human material, including endometrium, decidua, menstrual blood and samples from uterus transplantation, and

apply cutting-edge single-cell and spatial technologies to answer fundamental questions in human reproductive immunology. Division

The Björkström group performs translational immunology research on human lymphocytes in tissues, with a focus on the uterus and

the liver. In the uterus, our work has shown that uterine NK cells continuously differentiate in response to endometrial

regeneration and pregnancy, that the endometrial immune system varies far more between individuals than the blood immune system,

and that immune cells arriving after uterus or stem cell transplantation can acquire uterine characteristics and rebuild the

spatial organization of the endometrium. The group is international, has postdocs, PhD students and computational researchers, and

works with high-dimensional flow cytometry, single-cell and spatial omics, imaging and functional assays on primary human cells.

CIM is a research center of approximately 150 researchers focusing on immunology and infectious diseases, located in the ANA

Futura building at Campus Flemingsberg. The center offers state-of-the-art flow cytometry, single-cell and imaging infrastructure

and a collaborative environment with close ties to clinical research. Duties You will lead your own project on human uterine NK

cell biology. Depending on your profile and interests, the project may address: - The origin, differentiation and tissue residency

of uterine NK cells in the human endometrium and decidua - How uterine NK cell phenotype and function change across the menstrual

cycle and in early pregnancy Interactions between uterine NK cells and stromal, vascular and trophoblast cells in the tissue -

Alterations of the uterine immune milieu in reproductive disorders You will collect and process human tissue samples, design and

perform experiments using high-dimensional flow cytometry, cell sorting and functional assays, and generate and analyse

single-cell and spatial omics data. You are expected to write manuscripts, present your work at international meetings,

collaborate with clinicians and other research groups, and take part in supervising students in the group Qualifications

Required:

• A PhD in immunology, reproductive biology, cell biology or a related field - Solid knowledge of NK cell or innate

lymphocyte biology Hands-on experience with multicolour flow cytometry and primary human cell or tissue work - Ability to drive a

project independently while working well in a team - Excellent communication skills and proficiency in spoken and written English

Meritorious:

• Experience with human reproductive tissues (endometrium, decidua, placenta) or reproductive immunology - Experience

with single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics or spectral flow cytometry - Computational analysis of high-dimensional

data in R or Python - Experience with tissue dissociation, imaging or in vitro differentiation and co-culture models - Experience

supervising students Entry requirements Postdoctoral scholarships may be established for foreign researchers who pursue their

merit in Sweden. A foreign researcher is a person living in another country who comes to Sweden with the intention of only staying

in Sweden for all or part of their postdoctoral education at KI. Persons who are resident in Sweden and/or have carried out all or

part of their academic education at KI or some other educational institution in Sweden cannot be considered for scholarships. 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. 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. Here, we

conduct innovative medical research and provide the largest range of biomedical 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.

Students and employees have free access to our modern gym facilities with trained staff on site. Location: Flemingsberg 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. Application process 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. Want to make a

difference? Join us and contribute to better health for all