Karolinska Institutet invites applications for a fully funded 4-year doctoral (PhD) position in Immunology with a focus on tuberculosis diagnostics and vaccine development. The position is based at the Division of Infectious Diseases, BioClinicum, Karolinska University Hospital in Solna, Sweden.
Overview
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Position / Designation | PhD Candidate / Doctoral Student (Doktorand) |
| Host Institution | Karolinska Institutet |
| Department | Department of Medicine, Solna (Division of Infectious Diseases) |
| Research Area | Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Tuberculosis Diagnostics & Vaccines |
| Location | Solna, Stockholm, Sweden |
| Duration & Form | Full-time employment (up to 4 years) |
| Application Deadline | November 24, 2026 |
Designation
Doctoral Student (Doktorandplats / PhD Position in Medical Science).
Research Area
Immunology, host-pathogen interactions, adaptive immune responses, tuberculosis diagnostics, biomarker discovery, vaccine target identification, and bioinformatics.
Location
BioClinicum, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Stockholm County, Sweden.
Scholarship / Position Description
Infectious diseases remain a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. For pathogens like Mycobacterium tuberculosis, developing effective vaccines and diagnostic tools is challenging. Most individuals infected with tuberculosis do not develop active disease, indicating that immune mechanisms can successfully control infection.
This doctoral research project aims to investigate adaptive immune responses associated with protection or disease progression to identify biomarkers for improved diagnostics and uncover novel vaccine candidates.
The PhD candidate will be involved in:
- Organizing and preparing samples for clinical biobanking.
- Performing in vitro and ex vivo cell culture using primary human immune cells.
- Employing cell biology and molecular biology techniques to examine immune cell function.
- Developing and optimizing platforms to screen antibody and T-cell responses.
- Conducting sequencing and expression analysis of B-cell and T-cell receptors (BCR/TCR).
- Carrying out bioinformatic processing and analysis of multiplex and large-scale immune datasets.
Doctoral education at Karolinska Institutet leads to a doctoral degree (PhD) following four years of full-time research studies. As an employed PhD student, you will receive a contractual salary following KI’s salary scale, access to modern wellness facilities, and reimbursement for medical care.
Eligibility and Qualifications
General Eligibility (A)
To meet the basic entry requirement for third-cycle (doctoral) education, applicants must satisfy one of the following:
- Hold a degree at second-cycle (Master’s) level, OR
- Have completed course requirements comprising at least 240 ECTS credits, of which at least 60 ECTS credits must be at the second-cycle (advanced) level, OR
- Have acquired largely equivalent knowledge in Sweden or abroad.
Specific Eligibility (B)
- Proficiency in the English language equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary school course English 6 / English B (certified through accepted international tests such as IELTS or TOEFL, or previous degree studies conducted in English).
Desirable Skills and Personal Qualities
- Strong academic background in immunology, infection biology, molecular biology, or related disciplines.
- Hands-on laboratory experience with primary cell culture, flow cytometry, and evaluation of cellular and humoral immune responses.
- Prior experience handling and biobanking human specimens.
- Working familiarity with bioinformatics tools for analyzing sequencing or multiplex immunologic data.
- High motivation, self-organization, and ability to conduct collaborative research within an interdisciplinary setting.
- Fluency in spoken and written English.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted electronically through the Karolinska Institutet recruitment portal (Varbi). Applications may be submitted in English or Swedish and must include the following documentation:
- A personal cover letter describing your research background, interest in the project, and career goals.
- A detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV).
- Copies of degree certificates, transcripts, and diplomas demonstrating fulfillment of basic eligibility (Master’s degree or 240 ECTS equivalent).
- Documentation proving specific English language proficiency.
- Degree project (master’s thesis) and any relevant scientific publications.
- Contact details for academic references.
Last Date for Apply
The closing date for applications is November 24, 2026 (23:59 CET).
Apply Link
To submit your application or view the original vacancy details, visit the official application portal:
Apply for PhD Position at Karolinska Institutet (Varbi)
