PhD position available in: Omics in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (DC2)

PhD position available in: Omics in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (DC2)

About the There is a vacancy for a PhD Research Fellow in Omics in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (DC2) at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden. The position is funded by the European Commission through the MSCA Doctoral Network Endotrain (Grant No: 101227148) and coordinated by the University of Bergen, Norway.

Supervisors: Prof. Sophie Bensing, PhD Ileana Botusan 

Location:  Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institute and Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital Stockholm, Sweden. 

Duration: 4 years 

Start date: August 2026 at latest position

This position is part of:

19 PhD Fellowships available in Digital Endocrinology in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network (ENDOTRAIN).Join Europe’s first doctoral network in digital endocrinology – integrating AI, sensor technology, omics, and clinical medicine to transform diagnosis and treatment of adrenal diseases. 

Digital medicine is entering a new era where human “digital twins” and sensor-based monitoring allow personalised diagnosis and treatment. ENDOTRAIN will train a new generation of interdisciplinary experts who merge clinical endocrinology, AI, data science, engineering, ethics and law into an integrated field of digital endocrinology. The programme focuses on adrenal disorders as a case study for advancing digital health in Europe.

About the PhD position :

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. 

About the project/work tasks:

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.  

Qualifications and personal qualities:

• 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.

  For further details, please visit our webpages: Omics in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (DC2) and the programme webpage: Endotrain Doctoral Training Network | UiB

Salary and Benefits

• 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.

  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

How to apply:

All applications must be submitted via the Jobbnorge portal 

• Your application must include the mandatory attachments from the ENDOTRAIN webpages - including
• Application form
• CV
• Mobility declaration
• Motivation Letter

Eligibility (MSCA Doctoral Network rules)

• Applicants can be of any nationality. 
• Must not have resided or carried out a main activity in the host country for more than 12 months in the past 36 months before start of the PhD.
• Must hold a master’s degree (or equivalent) enabling doctoral studies.
• Must not already hold a doctoral degree.
• English proficiency required - transcripts of diplomas in English must be uploaded in Jobbnorge. 
• In the "Jobbnorge-CV": Only fill in the basics of your 1) personal details, 2) short information about your degrees (in the field "Education / academic qualifications") - in order to minimise repetition with the CV attachment.
• It is a condition of employment that the master's degree has been awarded (documentation must be provided). If you have not yet completed your master's degree, you can apply provided completion of the final master exam before the position start date. Please submit a statement from your institution confirming the expected date of award of your master's degree. 
• For HR related questions contact the host institutions for the position you are applying (see link for the specific position) 

General information:

Contacts:

For questions about the project, please contact the primary supervisor Prof. Sophie Bensing (Sophie.bensing@ki.se).  

For questions about the ENDOTRAIN programme, please contact Programme Manager Elizabeth Farmer 

For more information regarding technical matters connected to the application process, please contact HR Adviser Selina Sia Hausberg 

 

Diversity and Inclusion

MSCA -Endotrain has a gender equality plan where gender balance among employees is therefore a goal. We encourage women to apply. If multiple applicants have approximately equivalent qualifications, the rules pertaining to moderate gender quotas shall apply. It is also a goal to recruit people with immigrant backgrounds. People with immigrant backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the position. 

About MSCA Doctoral Networks

The MSCA Doctoral Networks aim to train creative, entrepreneurial, innovative and resilient doctoral candidates, able to face current and future challenges and to convert knowledge and ideas into products and services for economic and social benefit. The MSCA Doctoral Networks raise the attractiveness and excellence of doctoral training in Europe. Read More about the MSCA Doctoral Networks.