PhD candidate in Cognitive Neuroscience of Aging with a focus on Neuroimaging- ERC Project DOPAGE

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

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 Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS) conducts world-leading research in aging, dementia, epidemiology and care sciences. This research spans from basic molecular and cellular levels to clinical research and societal studies. NVS educates almost a third of KI students at basic and advanced levels. The Department has approximately 540 employees and a revenue of 2023 of 530 million SEK. It comprises seven divisions, located at Campus Flemingsberg and Campus Solna.

Aging Research Center (ARC), a division within NVS, is located at KI Campus Solna, Stockholm. It is a multidisciplinary academic environment, representing medicine (e.g., neurology, epidemiology, psychiatry, geriatrics), psychology (e.g., cognition, structural, functional, and molecular brain imaging), and social gerontology (e.g., sociology, public health, social epidemiology, social work). The center has around 70 employees, and a strong focus on high-impact research, supported by unique research resources, such as large-scale longitudinal studies and nationwide registries. The position is based within the Psychology group, where neuroimaging represents a core pillar of the research program.

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

Would you like to contribute to understanding and potentially mitigating cognitive decline at older age? If so, we are seeking a highly motivated and skilled PhD student to join a recently ERC-funded project on the neural correlates of cognitive decline, based at the Aging Research Center (ARC) and Turku PET Centre. The project focuses on understanding age-related cognitive decline with particular emphasis on the dopaminergic system and its interaction with the noradrenergic system across the adult lifespan.

The successful candidate will contribute to a unique large-scale multimodal study involving PET imaging (three PET scans per individual), comprehensive MRI assessments, and an extensive cognitive test battery. This project provides a rare opportunity to work with rich, multimodal data collected from a lifespan sample of adults.

The PhD candidate will work under the primary supervision of Dr. Alireza Salami and collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team. Key responsibilities include:

• Participating in the collection of PET, MRI, and cognitive data currently ongoing in Turku (Finland)
• Conducting quality control of neuroimaging data and performing statistical analyses
• Interpreting results and contributing to scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals

During the initial 12 (up to 18) months, the student will be based at the Turku PET Centre (Finland) to contribute to an ongoing large-scale data collection effort.

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

Meritorious (desirable) qualifications

• Master in cognitive neuroscience, biomedical engineering, psychology, medical science (e.g., MD), or any relevant degree
• Hands-on experience with neuroimaging analysis tools and pipelines (e.g., FSL, AFNI, FreeSurfer, SPM).
• Experience with functional MRI (fMRI) and/or positron emission tomography (PET) data, with hands-on PET imaging experience is considered a strong advantage.
• Familiarity with neuroimaging data and workflows, including common data formats (e.g., NIfTI) and reproducible data organization practices (e.g., BIDS) is a major merit.
• Prior involvement in neuroimaging data collection, particularly in clinical or translational research settings.
• Fluency in Finnish, and/or Swedish, to facilitate participant interaction and data collection at the Turku PET Centre.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage complex workflows involving both data collection and analysis.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and international research environment.
• High level of attention to detail, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Significant weight will be given to personal qualities in the evaluation process.

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.

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