Professor in Experimental Diabetes Research

Uppsala University Department of Medical Cell Biology

Sweden

Professor in Experimental Diabetes Research

Published: 2022-04-05

Uppsala University is a comprehensive research-intensive university with a strong international standing. Our ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a long-term difference in society. Our most important assets are all the individuals whose curiosity and dedication make Uppsala University one of Sweden’s most exciting workplaces. Uppsala University has over 54,000 students, more than 7,500 employees and a turnover of around SEK 8 billion.

The Department of Medical Cell Biology belongs to the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy and is an important part of the recently launched interdisciplinary Uppsala Diabetes Centre (UDC). The Department has a long tradition of successful research into both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Current high-profile research areas include the cell biology and physiology of islet hormone secretion, immune regulatory mechanisms in type 1 diabetes and beta-cell regenerative medicine, the latter with a strong clinical translational connection. In addition to different aspects of diabetes, research is conducted in cell biology, cell physiology, neurophysiology, integrative physiology, immunology and tumour biology. Advanced live-cell and in-vivo microscopy imaging, electrophysiology, animal disease and islet transplantation models, stem cell differentiation, organoid cultures, microfluidics and 3D-bioprinting are examples of cutting-edge methodologies available within the Department. The research groups collaborate, not only in-house and with Uppsala Academic Hospital, but also with other groups nationally and internationally, as well as with spin-off companies and the pharma industry. Pancreatic islets and other tissues from human donors are isolated in Uppsala and made available to the diabetes research community. Access to infrastructure and expertise in various “-omics” technologies, single-cell biology, bioinformatics, drug discovery and other areas are provided via the national resource SciLifeLab in Uppsala. Apart from research, the Department of Medical Cell Biology conducts teaching at the first, second and third-cycle levels. Teaching is carried out in e.g. the Medicine, Biomedicine, Pharmacy and Nursing programmes.

The Department of Medical Cell Biology has about 100 employees and around 25 registered doctoral students. The Department has an annual turnover of approximately SEK 110 million, but is currently in an expansive phase and turnover is expected to increase in the coming years.

Research area

The underlying causes of the different forms of diabetes are poorly understood. Pancreatic islet dysfunction and altered secretion patterns of the islet hormones are hallmarks of most forms of the disease but functional changes also occur in the islet hormone target organs. To clarify the disease mechanisms, research needs to be undertaken in many different areas, not least mechanistic studies in cell biology and physiology, but also in developmental biology, immunology, biochemistry and molecular biology. Studies of e.g. single-cell gene and protein expression with the aim of understanding cell function are also timely areas. For the development of new, future therapeutic options, more knowledge is required about islet cell function, replication and regeneration, as well as how islet cells can be generated from stem cells. Modern research technologies and new model systems have strong potential to significantly advance the field. Applicants with a diabetes-relevant cell biology focus outside the islet field would also be considered.

Profile

The successful candidate will have overall responsibility for research and doctoral education in the area of experimental diabetes research, as well as supervision and teaching at the third, second and first-cycle levels. Duties include leading an active research team in the subject and contributing to a positive development of research and education in the subject in collaboration with other researchers and teachers within the Faculty. Administrative duties and internal and external representative assignments may be required. Duties also include dissemination of information on research and development work.

Qualifications

A person who has demonstrated both research and teaching skills is considered qualified for employment as a professor (Chapter 4, Section 3, Higher Education Ordinance). According to the Appointment Regulations (AR) for Uppsala University, a general requirement is that the personal qualities are suitable to perform the duties well (Section 5 AR).

Research skill must have been demonstrated by independent research work and by the fact that the applicant’s activities maintain a high international standard. The applicant must have demonstrated skill in planning, initiating, leading and developing research, have demonstrated the capacity to obtain research funding in competition, and demonstrate well-documented skill in supervising third-cycle students. The applicant’s contributions to the international and national academic community will be assessed on the basis of, among other things, the quality and scope of their academic publications in publishing channels most relevant to the subject. See AR Section 31.

Teaching skill must have been demonstrated by qualifications in education and teaching. Furthermore, the applicant must demonstrate well-documented skill in supervision in the first, second and third cycles. A prerequisite for having demonstrated teaching skill is that applicants have completed teacher training for higher education of relevance to operations at the University, comprising at least ten weeks, or have acquired the equivalent knowledge. If special circumstances apply, this training for teachers in higher education may be completed during the first two years employment. The teacher training must also include third cycle supervision. See AR Sections 23 and 32.

The applicant must have a documented ability to teach in English or Swedish.

Assessment criteria

In the assessment of more than one qualified applicant, research expertise will be assigned greater weight than teaching expertise.

In assessing research skill, research quality is the prime consideration. The scope of research, primarily in regard to depth and breadth, must also be afforded consideration. Furthermore, consideration must be given to the capacity to plan, initiate, lead and develop research and research education in the third cycle, the ability to acquire funding for research in competition, as well as the demonstrated capacity to interact with others both within academia and in the wider community. See also Section 3 of Guidelines and Assessment Criteria for Recruiting and Promoting Teachers at the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy (GA) and Section 21 AR.

In assessing teaching skill, teaching quality is the prime consideration. The scope of teaching experience, in terms of both breadth and depth, must also be afforded consideration. Furthermore, consideration must be given to the capacity to plan, initiate, lead and develop teaching instruction, as well as the ability to connect research to teaching in respect to research in the subject at hand, subject didactics, as well as teaching and learning in higher education. The ability to interact concerning issues of teaching and learning in higher education with actors inside and outside the University is also included in teaching skill. See also Section 4 GA and Section 23 AR.

Assessment criteria, other expertise

Administrative and leadership skill are significant to the position and will be assigned importance. The ability to collaborate with the surrounding community and to inform the public about research and development will be considered.

Leadership skill is demonstrated through the ability to lead operations and employees, make decisions, assume responsibility and motivate and provide others with the conditions necessary to attain common goals. The ability to coordinate the group and contribute to generating commitment, participation and job satisfaction and the ability to manage conflicts are further examples of demonstrated skill. See Sections 31-31 AR and Section 5 GA.

According to the Appointment Regulations, administrative skill is demonstrated, for example, through the capacity to plan, organize and prioritize work in an efficient and task-related manner, as well as through the ability to assign and observe time frames. Skill includes overall operational planning and the capacity to manage resources in a way that reflects operational priorities, as well as the ability to work in a structured manner based on an awareness of goals and quality. See Sections 28-29 AR and Section 5 GA.

Collaborative skill is significant to the position and will be assigned weight. According to Section 6 GA, the following apply: When assessing collaborative skill, experience with and skill in education and outreach, editorships and other activities related to knowledge exchange between the University and the surrounding community, as well as experience with innovation and entrepreneurship, shall be of significance.

When the University appoints new professors, those applicants must be selected who, following qualitative holistic assessment of their competence and skill, are judged to have the best potential to carry out and develop the relevant duties and to help advance operations. See AR §4. All qualifications must be documented so that both quality and degree can be assessed.

The gender-equality aspect must be applied in an appointment if it is determined following a qualitative assessment that two applicants of different gender have equal or approximately equal qualifications and if either gender is under-represented (comprises less than 40% within the relevant category of posts and in the relevant workplace).

The applicant’s parental leave, part-time work relating to care of children, or the like, will be regarded as qualifying work experience.

In the event of any disagreement between the English and the Swedish versions of this announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence. During the evaluation of submitted applications, international referees may be used. In this event, the University may need to send applications that are written in Swedish to a qualified translator.

Appointment Regulations for Uppsala University

Guidelines and assessment criteria for recruiting and promoting teachers at the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy

Career portfolios - Instructions for compiling qualifications and guidelines for qualifications assessment in connection with recruitment of teachers