The Postdoctoral Studies in Molecular Signature of Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (Scholarship) at Karolinska Institutet offers a research position within the Westman Neuroimaging Group. The successful candidate will join Assistant Professor Anna Marseglia’s team to investigate the molecular underpinnings of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). This Swedish Research Council–funded project focuses on identifying proteomic signatures of vulnerability and resilience to VCID, integrating multimodal data including neuroimaging, clinical, lifestyle, and genetic measures.

Overview

This postdoctoral scholarship is based at the Division of Clinical Geriatrics, NVS Department, in close cooperation with the Theme Aging at Karolinska University Hospital. The research environment spans geriatrics, epidemiology, neuroscience, psychology, engineering, and statistics. The position involves initiating and leading independent studies to identify molecular fingerprints of VCID using proteomic data (e.g., Olink) and relating them to clinical, cognitive, lifestyle, and genetic features across the full VCID spectrum.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and refine research questions, conduct literature reviews, and manage data with a focus on proteomic data.
• Lead the analysis and integration of proteomic data, including quality control, normalization, and identification of molecular signatures.
• Apply advanced analytical approaches such as clustering, dimensionality reduction, supervised and unsupervised machine learning, and longitudinal statistical models.
• Interpret results and prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
• Present research findings at seminars, conferences, and other professional forums.
• Participate in regular meetings and collaborations, and contribute to developing new analytical pipelines for multi-omics integration.
• Progressively initiate and lead own research projects, potentially including student supervision, teaching, and grant writing.

Eligibility and Profile

Entry Requirements: This scholarship is for foreign researchers who come to Sweden for all or part of their postdoctoral education. Persons resident in Sweden or who have carried out academic education at KI or another Swedish institution cannot be considered. Applicants must have obtained a doctorate or equivalent foreign degree within a four-year period prior to the scholarship start. Those who have not yet completed a doctorate may apply if all requirements are met before the intended start date.

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in bioinformatics, biostatistics, computational biology, systems biology, data science, neuroscience, psychology, or a related field with a focus on omics data analysis in aging.
• Solid publication record including first-author research publications in peer-reviewed international journals.
• Hands-on experience with proteomics data preprocessing, normalization, and downstream analyses (e.g., clustering, pathway analysis, biomarker discovery).
• Practical experience applying supervised and unsupervised machine learning to high-dimensional biological data.
• Experience in longitudinal data analysis (e.g., survival models, multi-state, joint models).
• Strong programming skills in R or other relevant software.
• Previous research in aging, age-related disease, or neurodegenerative/vascular cognitive disorders.
• Experience working with large-scale datasets and integrating heterogeneous data sources.
• Excellent written and spoken English communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within an international multidisciplinary team.

Meritorious Qualifications:

• Training in epidemiology-related research methods, particularly within dementia research.
• Experience integrating omics data with clinical or neuroimaging data, preferably SVD markers.
• Experience with UK Biobank data and their Research Analysis Platform.
• Knowledge of cerebrovascular disease and link with vascular risk factors.
• Track record of peer-reviewed high-quality scientific articles.
• Interest in translational research and biomarker development.
• Strong interest in AI/machine learning applications in biomedical research and integration with epidemiological methods in aging.

Funding and Benefits

The scholarship amount is tax-free and set for twelve months at a time, paid out on a six-month basis. The position is full-time (100%) for one year initially, with a high possibility of extension for a further year if criteria are fulfilled. Karolinska Institutet provides a creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise, free access to modern gym facilities, and opportunities for professional development through mentorship, networking, and scientific output.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted in English or Swedish through the Varbi recruitment system and include:

• A complete curriculum vitae, including date of thesis defence, title of 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).

Deadline and Timeline

Last Application Date: 08 July 2026

Applications will be evaluated in July. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews in August. The expected start date is fall 2026.

Reference Number: STÖD 2-2242/2026

Location: Neo (Blickagången 16), KI Campus Flemingsberg

Contact: Anna Marseglia, Recruiting manager, 0852480000, anna.marseglia@ki.se; Andrea Hansson, HR, 0852480000, andrea.hansson@ki.se