Doctoral (PhD) student position for studying new treatment strategies to prevent bone growth impairment and osteoporosis in childhood cancer survivors Full-time

Doctoral (PhD) Student Position for Studying New Treatment Strategies to Prevent Bone Growth Impairment and Osteoporosis in Childhood Cancer Survivors

Are you motivated to use advanced methods in bone research to enable more precise, individualized treatments of impaired bone health in childhood cancer survivors? Join us at Karolinska Institutet as a KID-PhD student within a project aiming to develop new treatment strategies to prevent growth retardation and osteoporosis in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

To be a doctoral student means to devote oneself to a research project under supervision of experienced researchers and following an individual study plan. For a doctoral degree, the equivalent of four years of full-time doctoral education is required.

The Research Group

You will join the Bone and Growth Plate Research Group, led by Professor Lars Sävendahl, at the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet. Our research group includes other PhD-students, postdocs, a senior research specialist and the principal supervisor who collectively will introduce and assist you in our laboratory located at Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Solna. This creates an excellent educational environment with daily access to supervision from experts needed to accomplish the study goals.

You will be supervised by an interdisciplinary team. Professor Lars Sävendahl will be your principal supervisor. Your co-supervisors will be Associate Professor Frida Holm and Dr. Farasat Zaman. This PhD project is supported by a KID grant from Karolinska Institutet.

The lab has access to all facilities and equipment needed for the project including cell culture and animal facilities, confocal microscopy, histological methods, laser-microdissection, single-cell sequencing, and real-time PCR. For specialized instruments, bioinformatics and molecular methods, supervisors Holm and Zaman will be available to introduce and train you.

The Doctoral Student Project and the Duties of the Doctoral Student

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used in the treatment of many disorders including childhood cancers. Consequently, short stature and osteoporosis are important long-term side effects in cancer survivors. Osteoporosis has been observed in all phases of ALL: at diagnosis, during treatment, and throughout the post-treatment period for as long as 20 years. As many as 75% of long-term survivors of ALL suffer from decreased bone mineral density (BMD). Consequently, there is a great clinical need for an effective and safe preventive strategy rescuing bone growth and BMD in CG-treated ALL patients.

The purpose of this doctoral project is to develop new treatment strategies to prevent growth retardation and osteoporosis in ALL. The project has three specific aims:

• To characterize how ALL per se causes bone growth retardation and osteoporosis
• To study the role of GCs in worsening bone health in ALL
• To explore specific cytoprotective approaches aiming to rescue bone health in ALL

What Do We Offer?

A creative and inspiring environment full of expertise and curiosity. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Our vision is to pursue the development of knowledge about life and to promote a better health for all. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. As a doctoral student you are offered an individual research project, a well-educated supervisor, a vast range of elective courses and the opportunity to work in a leading research group. Karolinska Institutet collaborates with prominent universities from all around the world, which ensures opportunities for international exchanges. You will be employed on a doctoral studentship which means that you receive a contractual salary. Employees also have access to our modern gym for free and receive reimbursements for medical care.

Eligibility Requirements for Doctoral Education

In order to participate in the selection for a doctoral position, you must meet the following general (A) and specific (B) eligibility requirements at latest by the application deadline.

It is your responsibility to certify eligibility by following the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education.

A) General eligibility requirement You meet the general eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you:

1. have been awarded a second-cycle/advanced/master qualification (i.e. master degree), or
2. have satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the advanced/second-cycle/master level, or
3. have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.*

Follow the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education.

*If you claim equivalent knowledge, follow the instructions on the web page Assessing equivalent knowledge for general eligibility for doctoral education.

B) Specific eligibility requirement

You meet the specific eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you:

– Show proficiency in English equivalent to the course English B/English 6 at Swedish upper secondary school.

Follow the instructions on the web page English language requirements for doctoral education.

(A) and (B) can only be certified by the documentation requirement for doctoral education.

Skills and Personal Qualities

You are a highly motivated person with a mission to improve bone health for childhood cancer survivors. You are curious, well‑organized, and self‑driven enjoying problem‑solving and teamwork.

To be eligible, you must meet the general and specific entry requirements for doctoral education at Karolinska Institutet, as stated above and also have:

• A master's degree in medicine, biomedicine, or a related field.
• Previous exposure to methods in cell biology and molecular biology.
• Good communication skills, basic competence in scientific writing, and a willingness to engage with both experimental and data‑driven research.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent communication skills in English

Terms and Conditions

The doctoral student will be employed on a doctoral studentship maximum 4 years full-time.

Application Process

Submit your application and supporting documents through the Varbi recruitment system. Use the button in the top right corner and follow the instructions. We prefer that your application is written in English, but you can also apply in Swedish.

Your application must contain the following documents:

– A personal letter and a curriculum vitae – Degree projects and previous publications, if any – Any other documentation showing the desirable skills and personal qualities described above – Documents certifying your general eligibility (see A above) – Documents certifying your specific eligibility (see B above)

A selection will be made among eligible applicants on the basis of the ability to benefit from doctoral education. The qualifications of the applicants will be evaluated on an overall basis.

Karolinska Institutet uses the following bases of assessment:

– Documented subject knowledge of relevance to the area of research – Analytical skill – Other documented knowledge or experience that may be relevant to doctoral studies in the subject.

KI applies a salary scale when setting salaries for doctoral students. All applicants will be informed when the recruitment is completed.