The Department of Clinical Science, Unit of Psychiatry, at Umeå University invites applications for a two‑year postdoctoral scholarship within the project Genetic Risk Profiles and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Cognitive Aging and Dementia. The position is expected to start on 15 August 2026, or as agreed. The application deadline is 15 June 2026. The scholarship constitutes an educational award and does not represent an employment position.
Departmental Information
The Department of Clinical Science conducts broad clinical and translational research with a strong focus on disorders of the brain, including dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease, and psychiatric disorders. The project is hosted by the Unit of Psychiatry and is embedded in a strong interdisciplinary research environment.
Project Description
Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive aging are strongly influenced by genetic factors and biological aging processes, in which inflammation plays a central role. The aim of the project is to improve understanding of how genetically defined biological risk profiles influence cognitive aging and dementia development, with a specific focus on peripheral inflammatory biomarkers.
Using data from the population‑based longitudinal Betula cohort study, the project integrates genetic analyses with protein‑based biomarkers (proteomics) from two assessment waves ten years apart, cognitive data covering up to 25 years of follow‑up, and dementia diagnoses (approximately 1,700 participants with GWAS data, of whom about 1,000 also have proteomics data). The project further includes neuroimaging data, including fMRI and PET imaging. A central objective is to identify genetically defined subgroups with distinct disease mechanisms, which may contribute to the development of individualized preventive strategies.
The project involves close collaborations with researchers at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, where the principal investigator is also affiliated, as well as researchers at Umeå University associated with the Betula project and the Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI). The scholarship holder will therefore have access to a broad national research network within neuroscience, genetics, biomarker research, and aging epidemiology.
The scholarship holder will have the opportunity to:
Develop in‑depth expertise in genetic epidemiology, biomarker research, and cognitive aging
Work with unique longitudinal multi‑omics data and advanced biomarker platforms
Establish an independent scientific profile within an internationally competitive research field
Build academic merits through scientific publications, conference participation, and national and international collaborations
Qualifications
Eligibility requirements
Applicants must hold a PhD degree, or an international degree deemed equivalent to a PhD, by the time the scholarship decision is made. Priority is given to applicants who obtained their PhD no more than three years prior to the application deadline. Exceptions may be made in cases of documented leave due to illness, parental leave, military service, union duties, clinical service, or other relevant circumstances.
The PhD degree should be within a relevant field, such as neuroscience, biomedicine, genetics, epidemiology, statistics, psychology, or a related discipline.
Required qualifications
Experience in quantitative data analysis and statistics
Proficiency in statistical software such as R, SAS, or STATA
Excellent ability to communicate scientifically in spoken and written English
Ability to work independently and acquire necessary methodological knowledge for data processing, analysis, and presentation
Strong collaborative and communication skills
Meriting qualifications
Experience with genetic analyses (e.g. GWAS, polygenic risk scores)
Experience with biomarker data, proteomics, or longitudinal cohort studies
Previous research related to aging epidemiology or closely related fields
Application
The application must be written in Swedish or English and submitted via Umeå University’s e‑recruitment system Varbi no later than 15 June 2026. A complete application should include:
A personal letter describing your motivation for the project and how your previous experience is relevant
Curriculum vitae, including a list of publications
Certified copies of the PhD certificate or documentation of expected PhD completion
Certified copies of other academic degrees
A copy of the doctoral thesis and up to five relevant scientific publications
Any additional documents the applicant wishes to provide
Contact information for two referees
Contact
For further information, please contact: Karolina Kauppi, Associate Professor of Neuroscience Department of Clinical Science, Umeå University E‑mail: karolina.kauppi@umu.se
