免疫代谢与代谢工程治疗HIV功能性治愈方向博士研究员（DC15）

MERIT (MEtabolic Reprogramming in viral pathogenesis: from Infection to Therapeutic innovations) is an EU-funded MSCA training programme aimed at better understanding how viruses affect the human body. Coordinated by Dr. Adithya Sridhar, Assistant Professor, and Prof. Dr. Dasja Pajkrt, Professor of Pediatric Infectious diseases, from the OrganoVIR Labs at Amsterdam UMC (location AMC), this project brings together 7 academic institutions and 12 associated partners from across Europe. Within MERIT, researchers will take a new, holistic approach that focuses on infections and host metabolism to unravel virus-induced metabolic reprogramming and its impact on human health. The project’s objective lies in understanding the complex interplay between viruses and host cells, focusing on metabolic reprogramming, and long-term consequences of infection. This will be achieved by combining three methodological pillars: human organoids, integrative and spatial omics, and advanced microscopy. Extensive clinical studies from several cohorts of people living with HIV-1 and the immune phenotype fingerprinting of HIV-infected natural viral controllers indicate a profound role of immunometabolism in natural immunity. Using a cohort of elite controllers, we have identified a novel immunometabolic strategy to eliminate persistent HIV reservoirs and improve immune cell function. This project aims to leverage our recent discovery of a druggable molecular network regulating a-ketoglutarate (AKG) homeostasis to develop a metabolically engineered HIV cure. Using advanced gut-brain organoid systems, we will investigate the mechanisms of metabolic alterations, focusing on AKG homeostasis in HIV persistence and latency reactivation. At Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, MERIT is looking for a doctoral candidate (DC) to work on Work Packages 1,2, and 3. As DC15, your objectives are: • To define the immunometabolic mechanisms that shape HIV-1 persistence within infected tissues. • To identify key microenvironmental determinants associated with HIV-1 persistence and cellular dysfunction. • To evaluate host-directed metabolic strategies to disrupt HIV-1 persistence in physiologically relevant tissue and organoid models.

You will be guided during your research project by Dr. Iva Filipovic and Dr. Ujjwal Neogi. Planned secondments to partner institutions within the MERIT network: super-resolution imaging with Prof. Balpreet Singh Ahluwalia (University of Oslo, Norway) and spatial omics with Prof. Rajkumar Savai (JLU, Germany). You can apply for this position until 30 October 2026 . Applications submitted after this date will not be considered. Please note: You must submit your application through both the MERIT website and the Karolinska Institutet’s website . Your application will only be considered complete once both submissions have been made.

Requirements / required education level / degree: Master Degree or equivalent

Requirements / required education level / discipline: Biological sciences

Requirements / skills: • Immunology, viral immunology and virus-host interaction studies • Cell/organoid culture and advanced 3D culture systems • Molecular biology, including next-generation sequencing-based approaches • Flow cytometry • Microscopy and/or advanced imaging methods • Familiarity with transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, or other omics technologies, and knowledge of R programming.

Personal qualities: • A strong interest in virus-host interactions, immunometabolism, and emerging viral infections • Enjoys working across disciplinary boundaries, combining experimental biology with advanced analytical approaches • Excellent communication and organizational skills, able to work both independently and collaboratively • A strong motivation to participate in an international, multidisciplinary research network.

MSCA Doctoral Network eligibility At the time of recruitment, applicants must: • Not hold a doctoral degree. • Be eligible for enrolment in a doctoral program. • Be of any nationality. • ulfil the MSCA mobility rule: applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity, such as work or studies, in Sweden for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately preceding the recruitment date.

Eligibility for doctoral education at Karolinska Institutet Applicants must meet the general eligibility requirements for doctoral education at Karolinska Institutet by having: • been awarded a degree at the advanced/second-cycle level; or • completed at least 240 ECTS credits, of which at least 60 ECTS credits are at advanced/second-cycle level; or • acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in another way in Sweden or abroad. • applicants must also demonstrate proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper-secondary course English 6/English Level 2, according to Karolinska Institutet's requirements for doctoral education.

More information regarding general and specific entry requirements to Karolinska Institute: https://education.ki.se/doctoral-education.

Additional information / benefits: • A doctoral student position for four years at Karolinska Institutet, one of the world's leading medical universities. • An interdisciplinary research project at the frontier of emerging viruses, immunometabolism, and host-directed therapeutics. • Extensive training in human iPSC-derived models, organoids, multi-omics, metabolic modelling, and advanced microscopy. • International secondments (to Norway and Germany) and access to expertise and infrastructure across the MERIT MSCA Doctoral Network. • An opportunity to take part in a tailor-made pre-MBA programme to develop entrepreneurial and commercial skills and other network-wide training opportunities including conferences and courses, a Personal Development Plan, non-academic coaching, and workshops on topics including ethics and sustainability and AI/LLM. • Participation in an international network of doctoral candidates, leading researchers, and partner organizations. • Structured scientific and transferable skills training supporting future careers in academia, biotechnology, pharmaceutical research, and other sectors. • Employment according to Karolinska Institutet's conditions for doctoral students and applicable MSCA Doctoral Network provisions. • Access to KI employee benefits, including occupational pension, annual leave, wellness facilities and reimbursement schemes according to applicable university regulations.

Work location / nr job positions: 1

Work location / job organisation institute: Karolinska Institutet

Work location / job country: Sweden

Hiring contact / organisation institute: Karolinska Institutet

Hiring contact / organisation institute type: Higher Education Institute

Hiring contact / country: Sweden

Hiring contact / website: https://kidoktorand.varbi.com/what:job/jobID:974417

Application / how to apply: website

Application / application website: https://www.merit-eu.org/doctoral-candidate-opportunity-15

EU funding / framework programme: Horizon Europe - MSCA

EU funding / cofund nr job position: 1

Research field / main research field: Biological sciences

Research field / sub research field: Other

Researcher profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)

Positions: PhD Positions

Contract: Temporary

Job status: Full-time

Application deadline (as exported; timezone unverified): 2026-10-30T22:59:00