Postdoctoral studies in the Development of Antibody-Oligonucleotide Conjugates (scholarship) Full-time

Postdoctoral Scholar in the Development of Antibody-Oligonucleotide Conjugates for Cancer Therapy (Scholarship)

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

The Department of Laboratory Medicine consists of seven divisions and is active in many areas of Laboratory Medicine. The department is involved in advanced basic scientific, clinical and epidemiological research. The department is one of the largest departments of education at Karolinska Institutet.

The Division of Biomolecular and Cellular Medicine (BCM) focuses on the use of modified biomolecules, cells, and cell products as new therapeutic agents, as well as the identification and study of suitable biomolecular and cellular targets for therapy and diagnostics. The division is also connected to the Karolinska ATMP Center.

Our research efforts in the EL Andaloussi lab focus on one of the greatest challenges facing modern therapeutics; the delivery of macromolecules to target cells in vivo. Despite the unprecedented knowledge of diseases and their mechanisms due to advances in biomedical sciences; many promising therapeutic approaches are still clinically unavailable. This is simply because there is no efficient means of delivering these therapeutics to the right organ with the right dose. Our research performance involves developing novel and innovative drug delivery technologies that can carry proteins, RNAs, or gene editors to the target tissues safely and efficiently.

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and siRNAs can be designed to suppress expression of any gene, including genes that drive cancer growth. This project focuses on exploiting antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates for selective delivery to prostate cancer cells, with the aim of improving therapeutic response and overcoming resistance. It also seeks to investigate underlying resistance mechanisms using integrative molecular profiling approaches, while maintaining a strong emphasis on translational relevance.

As a postdoctoral research scholar, you will work closely with team members to design and implement strategies for targeted delivery of oligonucleotide-based therapeutics, with a focus on antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates. A central aspect of the role will be to screen different antibody-ASO/siRNA conjugates for their ability to suppress growth of prostate cancer cells. This will be done in close collaboration with the chemistry team responsible for conjugate synthesis and optimization.

You will establish and optimize experimental workflows to assess the activity and therapeutic impact of these conjugates, including their ability to modulate cellular responses and improve sensitivity to treatment. The work will involve correlating design parameters with functional outcomes in relevant in vitro systems and progressing toward in vivo validation. You will also participate in the design and execution of vivo studies, including xenograft models, to evaluate targeting efficiency and therapeutic efficacy.

We are seeking a highly motivated scientist with a strong background in oligonucleotide conjugate delivery and/or in vivo biodistribution studies.

Key areas of expertise:

• In vitro characterization • Utilize relevant in vitro cancer models to assess targeting specificity, delivery efficiency, and therapeutic activity, including effects on treatment response. • Preferred but not required: Investigate mechanisms of cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking, including development of advanced analytical approaches.
• In vivo experiments • Extensive hands-on experience in mouse handling, including various administration routes (e.g., IV, IP) and procedures relevant to cancer models. • Experience in evaluating biodistribution and therapeutic molecules in vivo. • Preferred but not required: Experience with xenograft models, toxicity studies, and in vivo imaging (e.g., IVIS, bioluminescence, fluorescence).
• Molecular and cellular biology expertise • Proficiency in mammalian cell culture and transfection techniques. • Expertise in quantitative assays to evaluate outcomes of in vitro and in vivo studies, such as gene expression analysis (RT-qPCR) and oligonucleotide detection methods (e.g., dPCR, SplintR). • Preferred but not required: Experience with flow cytometry for uptake analysis, single-cell approaches, and transcriptomic profiling (e.g., RNA sequencing, multi-omics).

In addition, excellent proficiency in both spoken and written English is essential. We are looking for an energetic and passionate individual who actively contributes to our team and thrives in a collaborative environment. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are required, along with the ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks.

The eligible candidate for the above-mentioned Postdoctoral Researcher position should hold a PhD degree dated no more than 7 years before the last date of employment as postdoc. The term can be extended under special circumstances.

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.

Location: Flemingsberg

The amount is tax free and it is set for twelve months at a time, paid out on a six months basis. In exceptional cases, shorter periods may be acceptable.

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

• 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)

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