Postdoctoral Researcher in Pain Neurobiology and Somatosensory Electrophysiology

Karolinska Institutet (KI) · Solna, Sweden

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Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

We are looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the Ernfors Research Group at the Department of Molecular Neurobiology (MBB), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm. The group investigates the neuronal organization of pain pathways and the molecular mechanisms underlying acute and chronic pain. Using mouse genetics, molecular profiling, electrophysiology, behavioral analyses, and human-relevant model systems, we aim to identify novel mechanisms of pain and develop new analgesic strategies.

The successful candidate will work in a multidisciplinary and collaborative research environment, contribute to ongoing projects, and have the opportunity to develop an independent research profile in somatosensory electrophysiology and pain neurobiology.

Your mission

The postdoctoral researcher will take a leading role in projects investigating the functional organization, excitability and plasticity of somatosensory and pain pathways. A major responsibility will be to establish, perform and further develop electrophysiological

approaches, including whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and related functional assays, to study sensory neurons and neuronal circuits involved in acute and chronic pain states. The work may include experiments in primary sensory neurons, neuronal cultures and relevant in vitro or ex vivo preparations, and will require integration of electrophysiological data with molecular, genetic, anatomical and behavioural readouts.

The candidate will be responsible for planning and executing experiments, analysing and interpreting complex functional data, troubleshooting experimental procedures, and contributing to the development of new research directions within the group. The position involves close collaboration with team members working on mouse genetics, behavioural pain models, molecular biology, transcriptomic and chromatin-based analyses, and translational approaches using human-relevant model systems. The postdoctoral researcher will contribute to manuscript preparation, present results in group meetings and scientific conferences, participate in supervision and scientific discussions, and develop an independent research profile within the broader research programme of the Ernfors group

Your profile

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctoral researcher, a PhD or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a Swedish PhD is required. This eligibility requirement must be fulfilled at the latest at the time of the employment decision. Completion of your doctoral degree within the last three years is considered an advantage. If there are special reasons, your degree may have been completed earlier.

Required qualifications

PhD in neuroscience, physiology, molecular biology, biomedicine, or a related field.
Proven hands-on experience in electrophysiological recordings, preferably whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in neurons or neuronal preparations.
Research experience in pain neuroscience, somatosensory biology, sensory neuron physiology, neurobiology, or a closely related field.
Ability to independently design, plan, execute, and troubleshoot experiments.
Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret and communicate complex functional neuroscience data.
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.
Excellent scientific writing skills and strong verbal and written communication skills in English.

Meritorious qualifications

Experience with primary sensory neurons, dorsal root ganglion neurons, iPSC-derived neuronal models, or other human-relevant neuronal systems.
Experience with calcium imaging, functional imaging, or other activity-based assays.
Experience with rodent models of pain, behavioral pain testing, or ex vivo/in vivo somatosensory preparations.
Knowledge of molecular, neuroimmune, or cytokine-mediated mechanisms of pain sensitization.
Experience integrating electrophysiological or functional data with molecular, genetic, anatomical, behavioral, transcriptomic, or chromatin-based analyses.
Experience working with human tissues, translational pain models, or cross-species comparative approaches.
A publication record relevant to the field and the position.

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.

Location: Solna

Application

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

A complete curriculum vitae, including the date of PhD defense, thesis title, previous academic positions, current position, academic titles, distinctions and awards, and relevant committee assignments (maximum 4 pages).
A selected list of publications (maximum 2 pages).
A personal statement describing previous scientific achievements, relevant technical expertise, and the motivation for applying to and joining the Ernfors research group (maximum 1 page).
Verification from the thesis defense committee, or equivalent documentation, if the PhD defense is scheduled within three months of the application deadline.
Two reference letters (to be uploaded in Varbi if available at the time of application, or sent directly to Patrik.Ernfors@ki.se upon request after the initial selection process).

KI applies individual and differentiated salary setting in accordance with our collective agreements RALS and RALS-T

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

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