Doctoral student in Medical Science

Doctoral student in Medical Science - Molecular psychiatry

Reference number PAR 2025/17

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Doctoral position in Medical Science

The Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry is located at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at the Faculty of Medicine at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. At the Department, research is conducted on human behaviour, neuropsychiatric processes as well as psychiatric treatment and diagnosis in close collaboration with Västra Götaland region and a number of international partners. We participate in the undergraduate programmes in Medicine and within The National Research School in Psychiatry/Southwest Sweden. At the Department, there are some 15 research groups and four research centers.

Doctoral education in Medical Science comprises carrying out a scientific project and completing at least 30 credits of courses at third-cycle level. The doctoral student must also write a scientific compilation thesis or monograph corresponding to at least 120 credits. For more information about third-cycle studies at Sahlgrenska Academy, see this link.

Project: The overall aim of our research is to determine the causal mechanisms behind severe mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder (BD). Several lines of evidence point at mitochondrial involvement in the disorder, which has been partially confirmed by recent cell-based studies. However, we still lack a clear understanding of how this is related to risk genes and to what extent it relates to treatment response with current mood stabilizers.

In this PhD project, the PhD student will both continue on ongoing work using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem (IPS) cells and learn new state-of-the-art techniques in transcriptional regulation as well as mitochondrial function. The PhD student will be part of a strong and international research group as well as take part in national and international collaborations. Taken together, this will prepare the PhD student for a future career in both academia and industry.

Doctoral studies comprise four years of full-time study, and lead to a doctoral degree. As part of your employment as a doctoral student, you may have departmental duties corresponding to up to 20% of full-time employment, distributed throughout your study period, and result in a corresponding extension of the studies. Departmental duties usually consist of teaching at first- and second-cycle levels, but may also include research and administration.

Doctoral education requires general eligibility and, where appropriate, specific eligibility as set out in the general syllabus for the subject.

The general eligibility requirements for doctoral studies are:

1. Having completed a degree at second-cycle level, or
2. The fulfilment of course requirements totalling at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits must be at second-cycle level, or
3. The acquisition of equivalent knowledge in some other way, either in Sweden or abroad.

Specific entry requirements for this subject, according to the general syllabus, are:

Having successfully completed the English B/6 course or is considered to have acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies.

Assessment criteria

The selection of applicants who meet the basic and specific eligibility requirements will be based on the ability to assimilate the doctoral studies. The assessment shall attach particular importance to documented qualifications for:

- Specific knowledge and skills within the subject area and related research fields
- Experience of scientific theory and relevant research methodology
- Scientific analysis and presentation verified through an academic paper, degree project, scientific journals or the like.

Documented experience of stem cell cultures and neural differentiation is an asset. Clinical experience of work with patients with psychiatric conditions is desirable.

Admission and employment

Once you have been admitted to doctoral studies, you will be employed as a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg. The provisions for employment as a doctoral student can be found in ordinance SFS1993:100. Initial employment as a doctoral student may apply for a maximum of one year, and may be renewed by a maximum of two years at a time. A doctoral student may be employed as a doctoral student for a maximum of eight years, but the total period of employment may not be longer than the equivalent of full-time education at doctoral level for four years.

Location: Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry. Extent: 100%. First day of employment: as agreed.

The University applies a local agreement on salaries for doctoral students.

Please note, doctoral studies at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology require physical presence to conduct the studies. If the admitted applicant needs a residence permit for higher education to pursue studies in Sweden, the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology has the right to revoke the admission decision if the applicant cannot present a valid residence permit no later than at the start of the studies.

Contact information

For more information about the project please contact principal supervisor,
Erik Smedler, Associate Professor, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology
e-mail: erik.smedler@gu.se

You can apply to be admitted to doctoral education via the University of Gothenburg’s recruitment portal. It is your responsibility to ensure that the application is complete as per this notice, and that the University receives it by the final application deadline.

You must include the following, in pdf format:

- Personal letter
- CV
- Diploma and transcripts showing that you meet with the general entry requirement
- Proof of completion of English 6 course or the acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies

If your degree is from a university outside of Sweden, make sure that you attach a diploma and full transcripts that make assessing your degree easier.

If your degree has not been verified by a Swedish authority you need to provide contact details to the issuing university, registrar or similar, that can verify the degree at our request.

Applications must be received by: 2025-02-27

Information for International Applicants

Choosing a career in a foreign country is a big step. Thus, to give you a general idea of what we and Gothenburg have to offer in terms of benefits and life in general for you and your family/spouse/partner please visit:

The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations.

Salaries are set individually at the University.

In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden’s regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed.

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.

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