KI continues its strategic initiative – new recruitment of 21 Assistant Professors
On 1 June, Karolinska Institutet launches a major international recruitment campaign for 21 Assistant Professor positions – building on the success of last year’s initiative, which attracted more than 2,700 applications from nearly 90 countries.
The aim is clear: to bring in the very best early-career researchers and strengthen KI’s position as a world-leading medical university.
“In ten years’ time, these people will be in positions of leadership at KI. So it’s essential that we recruit the best and most pioneering people,” says Professor Sten Linnarsson, dean at KI and member of the Faculty Board, which initiated this major strategically important recruitment drive
He emphasises the importance of attracting and retaining leading talent for the future of medical research and for continuing to develop KI as a place where new ideas can flourish.
A place to grow and collaborate
Several of the researchers recruited in last year’s campaign describe KI as a place where ambitious ideas quickly become reality.
Giuseppe Barisano, currently at Stanford University and soon to join the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at KI, highlights the support given from day one:
“The supportive research environment and generous start-up package enable me to launch my work immediately… it offers a sustainable balance between world-class research and personal life.”
He also points to the strong link between research and healthcare:
“Being able to bridge the gap between basic research and real-world clinical data is an invaluable strength.”
An international and open environment
Amanda Andersson Rolf, who returned to Sweden after more than a decade abroad, says KI’s global outlook made the difference:
“The international and collaborative environment at Karolinska Institutet quickly changed my mind,” says Assistant Professor Amanda Andersson Rolf at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, KI.
She emphasises the benefits of infrastructure and teamwork:
“Excellent conditions for impactful research” are created by “state-of-the-art core facilities” and close links to clinical practice.”
Support, ambition and real-world impact
For Assistant Professor Viktor H. Ahlqvist at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, KI stood out as both supportive and ambitious:
“It felt like the natural long-term home for my research,” thanks to “a genuinely supportive environment… and a clear ambition to make a real impact.”
Sanna Gudmundsson, with a background from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, also highlights the unique combination of strengths:
“An ideal place to drive impactful research in precision medicine,” with strong international research closely connected to clinical expertise,” says Assistant Professor Sanna Gudmunsson at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, KI.
Immunologist Antonino Cassotta at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge, and with a research journey spanning Rome, Milan, and Bellinzona, underlines the collaborative culture:
“There’s a real openness to exchanging ideas… which can lead to new perspectives or unexpected collaborations.”
Continuing a successful initiative
With the new call now open from 1 June, KI aims to once again attract talented researchers who want to push the boundaries of medical science – and make a difference for patients worldwide.
As last year’s recruits show, the opportunity is not just about funding or facilities. KI’s recruitment of assistant professors offers valuable opportunities to become part of a vibrant, international research community where ideas can be developed, collaborations can flourish and science can have a real impact.