Doctoral student position in bioinformatics Full-time

Doctoral Student Position In Bioinformatics

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

The Department of Laboratory Medicine comprises six divisions and conducts research and education across a broad range of laboratory medicine disciplines to improve human health in both the short and long term. The department works closely with Karolinska University Hospital and integrates advanced basic, clinical, and epidemiological research with strong teaching activities at Karolinska Institutet. It is also one of the largest teaching departments at Karolinska Institutet.

The research group led by Dr. Ping Chen at the Division of Clinical Chemistry is seeking a doctoral student with strong expertise in bioinformatics and RNA biology. The Chen lab is interested in developing advanced computational approaches to decipher RNA diversity and its regulatory mechanisms in human metabolic diseases, with a long-term goal of advancing diagnostics and therapeutic strategies. The group operates in a highly collaborative environment, combining biobank resources, longitudinal clinical cohorts, and state-of-the-art multi-omics data with innovative computational and experimental approaches.

The Doctoral Student Project And The Duties Of The Doctoral Student

Obesity is an escalating global health challenge and a major driver of metabolic disorders, including obesity-associated liver disease that can progress from steatosis to advanced stages and severe complications. Growing evidence shows that immune cells, particularly myeloid populations, actively shape disease development, yet the cellular dynamics and molecular mechanisms underlying immune-cell state transitions remain poorly understood. Addressing this requires systematic analysis of human tissue and cohort data using robust computational pipelines that resolve cell-state heterogeneity and regulatory programs. The overall goal of this doctoral project is to define how RNA processing contributes to immune-cell phenotypic remodeling in metabolic disease and how these changes relate to disease progression.

The doctoral student will work primarily with single-cell multi-omics data, focusing on RNA regulation. The project includes developing and applying computational workflows, integrating multi-omics with clinical metadata, and prioritizing candidate RNA events and pathways for downstream validation with experimental partners. The student is expected to plan and execute analyses, maintain reproducible pipelines, present results regularly, and contribute to manuscripts. The doctoral education provides training in research methodology, data analysis, ethics, and scientific communication, with opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and conference presentations.

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.

Verification of your documents Karolinska Institutet checks the authenticity of your documents. Karolinska Institutet reserves the right to revoke admission if supporting documents are discovered to be fraudulent. Submission of false documents is a violation of Swedish law and is considered grounds for legal action.

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

Skills And Personal Qualities

Applicants must have:

• Strong expertise in bioinformatics and biostatistics, demonstrated by a clear track record (e.g., transcripts from earlier courses, thesis project(s), research experience, code repositories, reports, or publications).
• Proven experience working with human omics data, preferably multi-omics and/or single-cell datasets, including handling inter-individual variation, batch effects, and complex study designs.
• Basic to intermediate knowledge of immunology.
• High motivation and curiosity, with the ability to work independently while also thriving in a collaborative, team-based environment.
• Strong communication skills and a proactive, responsible approach to research (planning, documentation, reproducible analysis).

The following are advantageous but not required:

• A strong publication track record (e.g., first-author or co-author peer-reviewed papers, preprints).
• Demonstrated ability to write scientific manuscripts and contribute to figures, methods, and results sections in a clear and structured manner.

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)

Selection

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.

All applicants will be informed when the recruitment is completed.

Want To Make A Difference? Join Us And Contribute To Better Health For All