Postdoctoral Researcher in Liver Epidemiology

Karolinska Institutet; Solna kommun; On-site; SEK 420,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Karolinska Institutet in Solna invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position in liver epidemiology, focusing on alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, MASLD and PSC. The research group includes epidemiologists, clinicians and data specialists with strong international collaboration.

You will work with large Swedish health registers and biopsy-linked data, develop analyses, and contribute to high-impact publications in English. The appointment is for 2 years with potential extension.

Qualifications

• Postdoctoral researcher after the defense of the PhD thesis.
• PhD in epidemiology, biostatistics or equivalent.
• Experience with statistical software (R/SAS/STATA/SPSS) and English writing.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research in liver epidemiology focusing on alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, PSC and MASLD.
• Explore risk factors and prognosis using histopathology-linked data.
• Conduct register-based research and collaborate across the department.

Skills

Excellent English communication

Education

PhD in epidemiology, biostatistics or equivalent

Tools

R

SAS

STATA

SPSS

Job description

Postdoctoral Researcher in Liver Epidemiology

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

The Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics conducts research in epidemiology and biostatistics across a broad range of areas within biomedical science. The department is among the largest of its type in Europe and has especially strong research profiles in gastrointestinal, psychiatric, and cancer epidemiology, as well as biostatistics. Part of the success of our department is due to our collaborative spirit where one factor is that researchers at the Department share and co-finance common resources (e.g., IT and an applied biostatistics group). The department is situated at campus Solna: http://ki.se/en/meb

The gastrointestinal epidemiology group at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (MEB) is now looking for a postdoc who wants to understand and prevent liver disease with a focus on alpha‑1‑antitrypsin deficiency, MASLD and PSC. Our research group consists of epidemiologists, clinicians, and database administrators and provides a vibrant and stimulating working atmosphere. The research group has members from Sweden, Switzerland, China, and the US.

Sweden is renowned for its world‑class nationwide health registers. Based on these registers, Swedish researchers have produced outstanding papers and advanced our understanding in fields such as liver disease, coeliac disease, oesophageal disease, IBD, microscopic colitis but also colorectal cancer. Through linkage with the personal identity number, it is possible to combine information from national healthcare registers. However, a limitation of these registers is the absence of histopathology data (which we have!). Through a nationwide collection of computerised biopsy report data from all Swedish 28 pathology departments, we have created a database of 2.6 million individuals (with 8.3 million biopsy reports) who have undergone a biopsy of the gastrointestinal tract (intestine/liver/pancreas/gall bladder). The cohort is known under its acronym ESPRESSO (Epidemiology Strengthened by histoPathology Reports in Sweden).

Your main responsibilities will be to perform research in liver epidemiology (especially alpha‑1‑antitrypsin deficiency but potentially also PSC and MASLD), exploring risk factors and prognosis of diseases where histopathology is essential. The position requires a high level of statistical/mathematical competence, and to absorb necessary knowledge on liver disease aetiology, epidemiology and register‑based research.

At our department, you will have vast opportunities to engage and participate in various research forums, outside as well as inside the department. MEB is an inclusive workplace, encouraging collaborative departmental and interdisciplinary research, and we have an infrastructure to support our approach.

The appointment will be for 2 years, with a possible extension after evaluation.

Your profile

• Have documented research experience after the defense of the PhD thesis
• Applicants should have a PhD degree in epidemiology, biostatistics or equivalent
• Skills in R, SAS, STATA, SPSS or equivalent statistical software
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required, along with experience in writing and publishing research articles in English.

The applicant should be highly collegial skilled in team‑work but also have the ability to work independently. Further, the applicant should possess organizational skills, know how to successfully multitask, and should be able to describe past examples of having solved unanticipated and complex research problems. Experience in register‑based research, preferably in gastroenterology/hepatology and experience of working with linked routinely collected healthcare data is meriting.

The applicant should have excellent analytical skills and have capacity to take responsibility for specific research projects. Further, the applicant should have the skill set to be involved in supervision of PhD students, including the necessary communicational skills. It is a merit to be an MD.

Our research group aims to have weekly supervision meetings to help you develop as a researcher. The department offers a wide range of courses and seminars on a weekly basis. The atmosphere is very international.