Postdoctoral Researcher in Dementia Neuroepidemiology Full-time NEW

Postdoctoral Researcher in Dementia Neuroepidemiology

Nordic Brain Network (NBN) is seeking a motivated postdoctoral researcher to contribute to research on sex differences in dementia and Alzheimer's disease. You will work under the supervision of Associate Professor Shireen Sindi, who is part of the NBN within the division of Clinical Geriatrics at the Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Science and Society (NVS).

The Nordic Brain Network, under the leadership of Professor Miia Kivipelto, conducts research broadly focused on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The team is actively engaged in several international collaborations and networks. The majority of this multidisciplinary research team is based at Karolinska Institutet (Q-building in Solna), with additional members at the Karolinska University Hospital, as well as in Finland and the UK.

The Project

Within this network, Dr. Sindi conducts research on sex differences in dementia and Alzheimer's disease, including the underlying biological mechanisms. Her research also focuses on less established risk factors for dementia, such as chronic stress and sleep disturbances.

As part of a project recently funded through the Wellcome Leap CARE programme, her research aims to investigate the associations between hormonal and reproductive factors (e.g., hormonal therapies, reproductive history, and menopause) and Alzheimer's disease, as well as the underlying mechanisms.

The project will also examine how these hormonal and reproductive factors interact with other dementia risk factors, including sleep disturbances and chronic stress, to influence Alzheimer's disease risk and progression.

The research will integrate neuroimaging measures, Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma (including amyloid-beta and tau), genetic factors, and other relevant biological markers.

Ultimately, this research aims to improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease, enhance the identification of individuals at increased risk of dementia, and inform the development of future personalised and multidomain preventive interventions.

Your Mission

In this position, you will play an active role across the full research process, from developing research questions and designing studies to conducting analyses, interpreting findings, and publishing results. Your responsibilities will include conducting literature reviews, managing and curating research data, performing statistical analyses, and preparing manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Your research will draw on several longitudinal population-based cohorts, clinical cohorts, and national register data, selected according to the specific research questions. You will contribute to study design, data harmonisation and extraction, and the application of appropriate epidemiological and statistical methods to investigate risk factors and underlying mechanisms associated with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

You will also present research findings at national and international scientific meetings and conferences, and collaborate closely with researchers from different disciplines and institutions. An important aspect of the role will be to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration, integrate expertise across research teams, and maintain effective communication with collaborating centres to support the timely progression of research activities.

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will have opportunities to develop your own research ideas, contribute to the broader scientific objectives of the research programme, and participate in mentoring and supervising students within the team. You will be expected to participate in both in-person and virtual meetings and collaborate with research partners based in Sweden, the UK, and the US.

This is a full-time (100%) position for two years, with the possibility of extension.

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.

Further the successful candidate will have:

A PhD in neuroepidemiology, medical sciences or a closely related field.

You should also have strong statistical and analytical skills, along with demonstrated experience in independently managing and analysing complex datasets. This includes data cleaning, management, and advanced statistical analyses.

Experience in research involving ageing, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease or dementia, sex differences, sleep disturbances, and/or chronic stress is particularly valuable. Experience working with biomarker data, including neuroimaging and fluid-based biomarkers, is also considered an advantage.

Excellent written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of Swedish is an advantage, as some clinical data and ethical applications are handled in Swedish.

We are seeking a candidate who is independent, responsible, proactive, and solution-oriented, with strong organisational and project management skills. The successful candidate should be able to manage multiple research activities, meet deadlines, and adapt to evolving project needs.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are essential, as the position involves close collaboration with researchers from different disciplines and institutions.

We particularly value candidates who can work both independently and collaboratively, and who are enthusiastic about contributing to a dynamic, international, and interdisciplinary research environment.

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.

Application

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

• PhD certificate
• A complete resumé, 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)

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.