Jens Hjerling-Leffler

The postdoc is based in the Division of Molecular Neurobiology at Karolinska Institutet in the lab of Professor Jens Hjerling-Leffler . The project focuses on how adolescent development of the nervous system, at a cell type-specific level, may shape the etiology of psychiatric disorders. The team combines postmortem human samples, mouse models of genetic risk, transcriptomic data, and large-scale human genetics to understand biological convergence and the cellular consequences of polygenic heritability in schizophrenia. The successful postdoctoral researcher will work on questions related to synaptic pruning and neural connections during adolescence. The project involves virus-based advanced neural circuit mapping approaches and the use of molecular and pharmacological tools to manipulate neural circuits. The position is embedded in an active research environment that values creativity, collaboration, and inclusivity, with close interaction between experimental scientists, computational researchers, and technical staff, including work within international consortia. Karolinska Institutet offers a broad medical research environment with expertise across biomedical sciences, enabling exchange between methods and disciplines. The group’s work sits at the interface of molecular neurobiology, genetics, and translational neuroscience, with a strong focus on understanding developmental mechanisms relevant to brain disease.

This postdoctoral position in single cell genomics is offered in the lab of Professor Jens Hjerling-Leffler at the Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet. The Hjerling-Leffler group investigates how adolescent development of the nervous system, at the cellular level, influences the etiology of psychiatric disorders. The research combines transcriptomic data, large-scale human genetics, and analysis of postmortem samples and mouse models to understand biological convergence and the cellular consequences of polygenic heritability in Schizophrenia. The lab provides a creative, friendly, and inclusive environment, supporting both scientific discovery and personal career development. The successful candidate will lead projects involving the analysis of large functional genomic datasets and integration with genetic and clinical outcome data. Responsibilities include data analysis, visualization, and development of new computational methods for processing and analyzing high-dimensional omics data. Collaboration with experimental researchers and participation in international consortia are integral to the role. Applicants must have a PhD or equivalent in bioinformatics, genetics, neuroscience, computational biology, mathematics, or statistics. Strong programming skills in R and/or Python, proficiency in English, and a proven track record in analyzing high-dimensional data and publishing scientific work are required. Additional merits include experience with LINUX/UNIX, statistics for high-dimensional data, epigenetic and NGS data analysis, interdisciplinary projects, and publicly available code repositories. Karolinska Institutet is a leading medical university, offering a stimulating research environment with broad expertise and opportunities for collaboration across medicine and health sciences. The position is full-time, temporary, and based in Solna, Sweden. Employees benefit from the university's collective agreement. To apply, submit your application via the Varbi recruitment system, including your PhD certificate, resumé, publication list, and a summary of current work. The deadline for applications is April 14, 2026.