Employer: Karolinska Institutet (KI)
Department: Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics
Division: Molecular Systems Biotechnology
Research Group: Högberg Lab
Location: Solna, Sweden
Position Type: Full-time Postdoctoral Position
Salary: Monthly salary (according to KI salary scale)
Application Deadline: 22 April 2026

Do you want to contribute to top-quality medical research?

Karolinska Institutet (KI) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher to develop computational and bioinformatic tools for DNA microscopy, an emerging technology that transforms DNA sequencing instruments into spatial microscopes.

This position is ideal for researchers interested in working at the interface of computation, nucleic acid nanotechnology, and spatial omics, contributing to next-generation molecular imaging technologies with broad biomedical applications.

Research Environment

You will join the Högberg Lab (http://www.hogberglab.net/), a leading interdisciplinary research group specializing in DNA nanotechnology and molecular systems biotechnology. The lab is part of the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics at Karolinska Institutet and consists of physicists, biologists, chemists, and computational scientists.

The position is funded through the ERC Advanced Grant project “qScope”, which aims to create and advance DNA microscopy—a method that reconstructs spatial information of biomolecules using DNA sequencing rather than optical imaging.

Your Mission

As a Postdoctoral Researcher, you will contribute to the development of bioinformatic tools and network-based algorithms that enable spatial reconstruction of RNA or protein molecules in tissue samples using DNA microscopy.

Key objectives include:

• Developing and improving computational pipelines for DNA microscopy data analysis
• Designing and implementing network algorithms based on experimentally generated neighbor–neighbor interaction matrices
• Reconstructing relative spatial positions of biomolecules using sequencing-derived molecular networks
• Advancing methods that convert DNA sequence information into spatial maps, effectively turning sequencers into microscopes

While the core focus is nucleic-acid-based spatial mapping, the group encourages interdisciplinary contributions, including the integration of ideas from related computational fields such as structural modeling or de novo protein design, where relevant.

Your Profile

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctoral researcher at KI, you must hold a doctoral degree (or equivalent foreign degree) at the time of employment. Applications are also welcome from candidates who are close to completing their PhD.

A doctoral degree obtained within the past three years is preferred, though older degrees may be considered if justified.

Required / Strongly Encouraged Qualifications

• PhD in nucleic acid research, preferably with a computational or bioinformatics focus
• Strong expertise in developing and using bioinformatics tools
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages: Python, Julia, R, or C++
• Extensive experience with next-generation sequencing (NGS) data analysis

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience with NGS sample preparation and sequencing platforms
• Broad computational background; experience with structural modeling or protein design tools is considered a valuable asset

What We Offer

• A highly stimulating and interdisciplinary research environment
• Access to top-tier research infrastructure at lab, department, and institutional levels
• An exciting ERC-funded project with real-world relevance and translational potential
• Strong career development opportunities, both within and beyond academia

Karolinska Institutet is one of the world’s leading medical universities, offering a unique ecosystem where basic research, healthcare, and education are tightly integrated. KI’s collaborative culture and strong links to healthcare providers create exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary research and innovation.

As a state university, KI offers attractive employment benefits through national collective agreements.

Application Instructions

The application must be submitted via the Varbi recruitment system and include the following documents (in English or Swedish):

1. PhD certificate (or statement of expected completion)
2. Curriculum Vitae, including:
   • Date and title of PhD thesis
   • Previous academic positions and current appointment
   • Academic distinctions and committee work
3. Complete list of publications
4. Summary of current research work (maximum one page)

📅 Application deadline: 22 April 2026

Apply Now!

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