Omics in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (DC2)

This project is part of Work Package 1: Hormone Dynamics within the ENDOTRAIN network. It aims to investigate how different replacement therapies affect immune function and metabolism in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency. The project combines inflammation- and metabolism-related omics, dynamic hormone profiling of cortisol and its metabolites, and data collected from wearable devices. The overall objective is to define the optimal range of tissue cortisol. 

The project includes: 

• A case–control study collecting omics data reflecting inflammation and metabolism, 24-hour dynamic hormone profiles, wearable-based measurements and patient-reported data from healthy individuals and patients with primary adrenal insufficiency receiving different replacement therapies.
• Integration of omics data with all other collected datasets.
• Contribution to multimodal datasets that support the broader development of digital diagnostic tools in endocrinology.
• Secondments with technical and clinical partners within ENDOTRAIN.
• Close collaboration with other doctoral candidates within WP1. 

Participation in the interdisciplinary training activities of the ENDOTRAIN network is mandatory and includes workshops, retreats, transferable-skills courses, and cohort-wide meetings across Europe. 

Research Fields : 

Endocrinology, Digital Health, Medical Sensors, Systems Physiology, Internal Medicine  

Secondments : 

- University of Bergen (N): To screen and characterise patients with PAI. 
- University of Manchester (UK): To learn mathematical modelling of hormone rhythms.  

Karolinska Institutet (KI), in collaboration with Karolinska University Hospital, offers a leading environment in clinical and translational endocrinology. The PhD candidate will be based at the Department of Medicine Solna and will be member of the Experimental Endocrinology unit. The group have members with diverse competences including clinical researchers, molecular biologists, and geneticists. The doctoral student will benefit from an outstanding research environment with well-equipped laboratory facilities, access to state-of-the-art biobanking resources, and extensive collaborations with other research groups at Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, as well as international partners. https://education.ki.se/doctoral-education/why-choose-karolinska-institutet

The candidate should work full-time on the project and must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Sweden for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date.  

Applicant must fulfil eligibility criteria for Karolinska Institutet PhD positions and will be enrolled in the structured PhD programme of Karolinska Institutet https://education.ki.se/doctoral-education/about-doctoral-education-at-ki.  
 
Participation in the interdisciplinary training of the ENDOTRAIN network is mandatory, including workshops, retreats, transferable skills courses, and cohort-wide meetings across Europe. 

We are seeking a highly motivated candidate with: 

• A medical degree (MD) is considered an asset
• A strong interest in translational endocrinology and omics technologies
• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• Strong communication skills and the ability to thrive in interdisciplinary collaborations
• Basic programming or data science skills (e.g., R or Python) and an interest in omics data analysis are considered an asset 

We place great emphasis on personal suitability. 

• 4-years full-time employment, including educational fees
• Salary according to union agreement
• Personal injury insurance, insured through an SPV occupational group life insurance
• Insurance through Social Insurance Agency that give parental benefits, child allowances, sickness benefits, and so on.
• Employees also have access to our modern gym for free and receive reimbursements for medical care.

Applications will only be accepted through the Jobbnorge portal.

Applications without the mandatory attachments (application, CV, mobility declaration, motivation templates) will not be considered.

Informal inquiries may be directed to Prof. Sophie Bensing (Sophie.bensing@ki.se)