Grants for postdoctoral qualifications 2025–2027
Alicia Lind, residential physician, Center for anaesthesia, surgery and intensive care Umeå, Improving Diagnostics and Outcomes of Post-Covid Condition by Immunometabolic Profiling, SEK 500,000.
NEWS One of the five researchers to be awarded Region Västerbotten grant for postdoctoral qualifications is resident physician Alicia Lind. She does research at the Department of Diagnostics and Intervention at Umeå University and studies the interaction of the immune system and metabolism in severe infections. The goal is to develop better methods for diagnostics and prognostication.
Alicia Lind is one of five employees who receives Region Västerbotten funding for postdoctoral qualifications in 2025–2027.
ImageAnja Hansen Knutsson, Region VästerbottenBy making targeted investments in junior researchers, the possibility of creating a regrowth of productive researchers with their own research groups increases
“The grant is absolutely crucial for me to be able to continue working with the projects we have started. It is very important that this type of research funding exists, which is aimed at junior clinical researchers, to facilitate the progression from newly awarded researcher to research leader and docent”, says Alicia Lind, resident physician at the Center for Anaesthesia, Surgery and Intensive Care Umeå and researcher at The Department of Diagnostics and Intervention at Umeå University.
Alicia Lind's research deals with how the immune system and metabolism interact in severe infections such as sepsis and COVID-19, called immunometabolic profiling. By studying how metabolic biomarkers change during an acute infection and during recovery, she hopes to develop better methods for diagnostics and prognostication in life-threatening infections.
“We are now working to understand the mechanisms behind severe, acute COVID-19 and long-term health effects of the infection, so-called Post-COVID Condition, in CovUm, one of the world's most comprehensive COVID-19 studies. We are following approximately 400 patients who contracted COVID-19 during 2020–2021 to study long-term symptoms, health-related quality of life and physical function in relation to metabolism and the immune system. Our hope is to contribute to better diagnostics and treatment for patients with both severe, acute covid-19 and long COVID”, says Alicia Lind.
She will use the funds to finance research time for herself, a doctoral student and a research nurse within the project.
Region Västerbotten has announced one-year grants since 2009, and since 2020 they have been specifically aimed at employees who have completed postgraduate training and want to continue to gain merits in clinical research. From the latest call, Region Västerbotten is making a strategic investment and extending the disposition period from one to three years, and the allocation is increased to between 300,000 and 500,000 SEK per year. To receive funding for 2026 and 2027, an approved progress report is required.
“By making targeted investments in junior researchers, the possibility of creating a regrowth of productive researchers with their own research groups increases. The expansion of funds for postdoctoral qualifications is an important investment for the future and gives these researchers increased opportunities to establish and develop their research and compete for external research funds”, says Göran Larsson, R&D director at Region Västerbotten.
Alicia Lind, residential physician, Center for anaesthesia, surgery and intensive care Umeå, Improving Diagnostics and Outcomes of Post-Covid Condition by Immunometabolic Profiling, SEK 500,000.