PhD position – Late-onset psychosis – risk factors and comorbidities Full-time NEW

PhD Position – Late-Onset Psychosis – Risk Factors and Comorbidities

The Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics conducts research across a broad range of areas within biomedical science. The department is among the largest of its type in Europe and has especially strong research profiles in psychiatric, cancer, reproductive, pediatric, pharmacological, genetic, and geriatric epidemiology, precision medicine, and biostatistics.

Part of the success of our department is due to our collaborative spirit where one factor is that researchers at the Department share and co-finance common resources (e.g., IT and an applied biostatistics group). The department is situated at campus Solna.

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 Psychiatric Epidemiology group in our department has a long history of strong research in this field. The incoming doctoral student is invited to join our dynamic and collaborative research team dedicated to unraveling the genetic and environmental causes of psychiatric disorders and their relationships to comorbid disorders.

The Doctoral Student Project and the Duties of the Doctoral Student

We offer an opportunity for a highly motivated and skilled PhD student to significantly contribute to cutting-edge research in understanding the foundations of psychosis. Most people who develop schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders receive a diagnosis in their late teens or early adulthood. However, a sizable proportion are diagnosed in mid-life or later. This doctoral project aims to identify the relationships between late onset psychosis (LOP) and sleep disorders, sex differences in comorbidities for people with LOP, as well as the associated genetic risk factors and blood-derived biomarkers related to LOP. All of the studies will involve analyses of existing data, and no bench lab work will be conducted.

The incoming student will be part of the KI-NIH doctoral program, in which students divide their time and research efforts between Karolinska Institute and the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland (USA), with the majority of time spent in Sweden. For this project, the doctoral student will be jointly supervised by Sarah Bergen at KI and Kathleen Merikangas at the NIH.

Doctoral students are expected to take a leading role in the entire research process under the supervision of their PhD supervisors. Through participating in study design, data processing and analysis, interpretation and communication of findings, taking relevant courses and participating in seminars and journal clubs, the student is expected to accomplish the doctoral thesis project and grow into an independent researcher by the end of their studies.

What Do We Offer?

International staff

Career support for doctoral students

Choose to work at KI – ten reasons why

Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities and offers a creative and inspiring environment full of expertise and curiosity. Our vision is to pursue the development of knowledge about life and to promote better health for all. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. Each doctoral student is 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 facilitates opportunities for international exchanges. The selected candidate will be employed on a doctoral studentship which means that they 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

The applicant should be highly motivated and able to collaborate and function well both independently and in a team. Prior degrees or work experience in epidemiology, genetics, psychiatric research, or a related field is required and clinical training is also desirable. Strong analytic skills and knowledge of statistical programing in R and/or Python is also highly desirable. Prior psychiatric and/or computational research experience and publications are also merits. Additionally, the incoming student must have good command of written and spoken English.

The personal qualities that we prioritize for this role include being scientifically curious, analytical, and self-motivated but able to work collaboratively and take direction, and having a sincere interest in earning a PhD in this research area.

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.

KI applies a salary scale when setting salaries for doctoral students.