Postdoctoral Researcher in In-Cell Structural Biology of Lipid Flux (scholarship) Full-time NEW

Postdoctoral Researcher in In-Cell Structural Biology of Lipid Flux (scholarship)

Join us at Karolinska Institutet to investigate how hepatocytes decide between lipid storage and lipid secretion, a process that is central to fatty liver disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. You will develop and apply advanced imaging and in-cell structural biology methods to reveal the nanoscale mechanisms that shape lipid flux. You will work in a collaborative and inspiring environment with access to world class imaging and structural biology facilities at Karolinska Institutet.

Your mission

The Nanoscale Lipid Flux Architecture research group, located in the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics (MBB) at Karolinska Institutet, led by Assistant Professor Veijo Salo, aims to uncover the molecular logic of lipid flux and organelle biogenesis in metabolic health and disease. We study how cells build, remodel and regulate membrane bound compartments, and how nanoscale structures coordinate the flow of lipids in their native context. Our work integrates cell biology, advanced imaging and in situ cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to reveal membrane architectures and protein assemblies inside intact cells.

In this postdoctoral project you will focus on developing and applying in-cell cryo-ET methodologies to visualise nanoscale lipid handling processes directly inside hepatocytes. This includes building cryo-correlative light and electron microscopy (cryo-CLEM) workflows to identify and target relevant cellular states, and performing cryo-ET to uncover membrane architectures and protein assemblies that determine whether lipids are stored in lipid droplets or secreted through the VLDL pathway. The project provides a unique opportunity to create new experimental strategies and to generate mechanistic insight into a central problem in cell biology and metabolic disease.

Your profile

We welcome applicants who are motivated, curious, creative and committed to high quality experimental research. The position is suitable for candidates with a strong background in cell biology who wish to develop expertise in cryo ET, and for candidates with experience in cryo EM or cryo ET who are motivated to expand their skills in cell biology. A central requirement for both profiles is a strong interest in how cells coordinate lipid flux in their native environment.

Required qualifications and skills:

• Doctoral degree in cell biology, molecular biosciences, biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology or a related field
• Experience in experimental cell biology or advanced imaging, or experience in cryo EM or cryo ET
• Strong interest in developing expertise in in-cell cryo-ET and cryo-correlative imaging
• Ability to design, execute and analyse independent research projects
• Interest in membrane biology, organelle biogenesis or lipid metabolism
• Excellent communication skills in English

Additional preferred qualifications

• Experience with hepatocyte models or liver related biology
• Experience with quantitative fluorescence microscopy imaging and analysis, or experience with cryo-EM data analysis
• Familiarity with lipid biochemistry, lipoprotein secretion or metabolic disease mechanisms
• Programming or computational data analysis skills
• Experience working in collaborative or interdisciplinary research environments

Personal suitability is important. We value colleagues who are collaborative, communicative and enjoy contributing to a positive and supportive research environment.

In addition, you will have close access to the 3D Electron Microscopy unit at Karolinska Institutet, which provides state of the art instrumentation for cryo electron microscopy and tomography. The facility includes a 300 kV cold FEG Titan Krios G3i equipped with a Gatan K3 detector and a Ceta D detector, an Aquilos 2 cryo FIB SEM for lamella preparation, and a Leica SP8 cryo confocal microscope for cryo CLEM workflows. The unit offers expert support for sample preparation, data collection and tomography workflow development. The Biomedicum campus is also located in close proximity to additional cryo EM infrastructure at SciLifeLab, which provides further opportunities for high resolution imaging and method development.

Entry requirements

Postdoctoral scholarships may be established for foreign researchers who pursue their merit in Sweden. A foreign researcher is a person living in another country who comes to Sweden with the intention of only staying in Sweden for all or part of their postdoctoral education at KI. Persons who are resident in Sweden and/or have carried out all or part of their academic education at KI or some other educational institution in Sweden cannot be considered for scholarships. The purpose of scholarships for postdoctoral qualification is to promote internationalization and contribute to research qualification after a doctorate or equivalent. A scholarship for carrying out postdoctoral research can be granted for a maximum of two years within a four-year period following the receipt of a doctoral degree or equivalent. To be eligible for a postdoctoral scholarship, the person must have obtained a doctorate, or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a doctorate. Applicants who have not completed a doctorate at the end of the application period may also apply, provided that all requirements for a completed degree are met before the (intended) start date of the post-doctoral education.

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. Here, we conduct innovative medical research and provide the largest range of biomedical 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. Students and employees have free access to our modern gym facilities with trained staff on site.

Application process

An employment application must contain the following documents in English:

• A complete curriculum vitae, 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)
• A short motivation letter (in English and no more than one page)

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