Postdoctoral Fellow – Discovering novel biomarkers for cardiac amyloidosis Sweden - Gothenburg

R-215838: Postdoctoral Fellow – Discovering novel biomarkers for cardiac amyloidosis
Location: Gothenburg
Competitive Salary, Bonus & Benefits Package

Do you have an interest in discovering and characterising biomarkers for the diagnosis of chronic diseases? Would you like to apply your knowledge to impact future diagnostic paradigms for heart disease in a company that follows the science and turns ideas into life-changing medicines? Then join the Translational Science & Experimental Medicine department at AstraZeneca and unlock the power of what science can do!

About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-centred biopharmaceutical company focusing on discovering, developing, and commercialising prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we’re more than a global leading pharmaceutical company. At AstraZeneca, we're dedicated to being a Great Place to Work and empowering employees to push the boundaries of science and fuel their entrepreneurial spirit. 

About our Postdoc Programme
Bring your expertise, apply your knowledge, follow the science, and make a difference. AstraZeneca’s Postdoc Programme is for self-motivated individuals looking to deliver exciting projects in an encouraging, engaging, and innovative environment. You'll work with multidisciplinary scientific teams from a diverse set of backgrounds and a world-class academic mentor specifically aligned to your project. Our postdocs are respected as specialists, encouraged to speak up, and supported to share their research at conferences, publish papers, achieve their goals.

Make a more meaningful impact in your career, with greater ownership and accountability to make a contribution whilst making a difference to the lives of our patients!

This is a 3-year programme, with an initial 2-year period and a 1-year merit-based extension.

About the Opportunity
The purpose of this position is to provide early-career researchers with an opportunity to further develop their expertise and skills. Postdocs play a crucial role in advancing scientific knowledge and driving innovation in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
In this exciting Postdoctoral Fellow position, you’ll be involved in the discovery and validation of novel biomarkers for the diagnosis of heart failure associated with cardiac amyloidosis (CA).
This project is supported by the Translational Science & Experimental Medicine (TSEM) group that works within AstraZeneca’s cardiovascular, renal and metabolism (CVRM) therapy area from early-stage drug discovery to late-stage clinical development. A key focus of TSEM is to work with existing and novel biomarkers to evaluate disease phenotypes, predict disease progression and to demonstrate the pharmacological action of drugs in clinical development.

Project Focus
This project will conduct pioneering research for the diagnosis of TTR amyloid cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA), an emerging area of huge scientific interest in heart failure. Our Postdoc will collaborate with experienced AstraZeneca interdisciplinary scientists to identify novel biomarkers and evaluate their diagnostic and potential prognostic value for ATTR-CA.
Supported by Carl Whatling, Principal Scientist at AstraZeneca and Ketan Thakar, Research Scientist at Alexion, you'll also receive academic mentorship and guidance from Dr Hanna Gaggin, cardiologist and clinical research scientist from the Harvard Medical School.

What You’ll Do
Our Postdoctoral Fellow will conduct ground-breaking research to identify novel biomarkers revealed by multiplex omics analysis of blood samples collected from ATTR-CA and non-CA Heart Failure patients using a case-control study design. To complement this approach, you will use state-of-the art techniques to analyse misfolded TTR proteins that are the primary source of amyloid build-up in the heart. Through focussing on the most promising biomarker leads from both approaches, you will further interrogate their diagnostic and prognostic performance for ATTR-CA alone and in combination with other known clinical parameters. The overall aim is to identify biomarkers that could become part of the future diagnostic/prognostic paradigm for clinical evaluation of ATTR-CA.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• Conduct analysis of biomarker candidates in clinical samples using appropriate analytical methods

• Analyse and review biomarker data to identify the strongest candidates for further investigation

• Lead and drive the project under the supervision of the AstraZeneca team and in collaboration with the academic expert

• Plan, write, publish, and present high-quality scientific papers

Essential Requirements

• A PhD or equivalent in a biological, bioanalytical or clinical chemistry discipline, or related field

• Experience in performing analytical assays to quantify biomolecules in biological samples

• A basic understanding of approaches used for analysing biomarker data 

Our Postdoc programme is aimed at individuals who are either:

• Within 5-years of obtaining their doctoral degree (PhD, DVM, or MD) - PhD already awarded, or

• Students, soon to obtain doctoral degrees (the PhD must be awarded within 6 months of joining AstraZeneca)

Desirable Requirements

• Proven knowledge of one or more of the following areas: cardiovascular disease, the clinical application of biomarkers, biomarker qualification approaches

• Experience in working with large datasets

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Strong planning, organisational and time management skills

• Ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary, research environment

Reasons to Apply
This is a fantastic opportunity to work in an industry-leading group with a strong publication track record and be supported by a leading academic supervisor.
ATTR-CA is a progressive, debilitating, and life-threatening disease with poor prognosis. It is increasingly recognised as a significant driver of Heart Failure but can take 6-8 years to be correctly diagnosed. The ability to diagnose patients earlier is expected to improve patient outcomes to new treatments aimed at halting or removing TTR amyloid build-up. However, there are currently no simple to use blood biomarkers available for the diagnosis or screening of ATTR-CA. By identifying and characterising novel biomarkers of ATTR-CA, there is an opportunity to shape the future clinical paradigm for diagnosis of ATTR-CA.

Why AstraZeneca
The unique positioning of this postdoc within a pharmaceutical company such as AZ, means that you will be able to access large datasets which are not available in the public domain. Moreover, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that methods and techniques you develop will not only be published but will also be used within AZ after the postdoc position concludes, in real-life projects - and that ultimately the work you do will directly impact patients’ lives!

On-Site Working
The position is located at our research site in Gothenburg, Sweden.
As a key member of a research group and taking a leading role on a Postdoctoral project, we expect regular attendance - a minimum of 3 days per week on the AstraZeneca campus. For laboratory-based scientists, this may be higher. 
Given the unique positioning of our Postdoctoral researchers, you may have an additional opportunity to spend some time with an external academic mentor. In this instance, you may be required to spend some of your time working alongside them at their facility as driven by the research project.

Your flexibility to meet the needs of the research and the scope of the project is required and we also look to support you with flexibility in accordance with our standard work policies.

Next Steps
If your passion is science and you want to be part of a team that makes a bigger impact on patients’ lives, then there’s no better place to be. 

This advert will be running from January 2nd 2025 and, we welcome your application as soon as possible, but ahead of the scheduled closing date of January 31st 2025. In the event, that we identify suitable candidates ahead of the scheduled closing date, we reserve the right to close the vacancy earlier than published. 

Find Out More
AstraZeneca CVRM
AZ’s Postdoc Programme 

Relocate to Gothenburg
Life at AstraZeneca
This is what we’re made of

Date Posted

02-jan.-2025

Closing Date

31-jan.-2025

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.