SciLifeLab National Postdoctoral COFUND Program – SciLifeLab PULSE
SciLifeLab has the ambition to join with Swedish Universities to form a National SciLifeLab postdoc program, SciLifeLab PULSE – Program for fUture Leaders in life SciencE, with the aim to train future research leaders in Life Science. The goal is for the program to be co-funded through the MSCA COFUND program. The program will offer a holistic approach – research and leadership – with particular focus on innovative research linked to DDLS, utilization & industry.
In February 2023, SciLifeLab submitted an application for PULSE through the EU’s MSCA COFUND call. The application was not granted funding, but received a high rating.
SciLifeLab will submit a new application in the MSCA COFUND call that opens in October 2023.

Aim
The purpose of the program is to strengthen the research network in Sweden in the long term by increasing the recruitment of international, highly qualified postdoc candidates in Life Science, and through mobility between universities and industry within the program.
SciLifeLab have invited representatives from the Universities of Sweden to participate in the design of the program, as well as representatives from the Life Science industry. The aim is to create a nationwide consortium to ensure excellence and the implementation of the program in the best possible way.
The planned program has 10 Implementing university partners and 15 non-academic industrial partners.
Timeline
Autumn 2023
Revision of SciLifeLab PULSE application for MSCA-COFUND call
February 8, 2024
Deadline for HORIZON-MSCA-2023-COFUND-01 call. Decision in Q2/Q3, 2024.

Overview of the SciLifeLab PULSE program.
Key Figures
- Recruitment of 48 postdocs in two phases 2025-2029
- 10 university partners (GU, KTH, LiU, LU, KI, MaU, SU, ÖrU, UU and UmU) and 15 industrial partners
- 15 industrial partners (including Affibody, Akiram, Beactica Therapeutics, Lipum, Prosilico, Quretech Bio, Red Glead Discovery, RISE, TestaCenter, Toleranzia and the industry organisations Lif & SwedenBIO)
- Goal to co-fund program through MSCA-COFUND with 74 MSEK
- Training package for future leaders in Life Science, e.g. data management, Open Science, FAIR principles, cutting edge technologies, project leading, grant writing, communication, innovation & entrepreneurship
SciLifeLab Project group
- Mia Phillipson, SciLifeLab Co-Director
- Per Ljungdahl, Campus Solna Director
- Kristian Sandberg, Platform co-Director DDD
- Jessica Lindvall, SciLifeLab Training hub Lead
- Disa Hammarlöf, Operations office
- Maria Bäckström, Operations office
- Per Lek, Operations office
- Anna Frejd, Operations office
SciLifeLab PULSE

SciLifeLab PULSE is a MSCA-COFUND Postdoctoral programme designed to recruit and train 48 postdocs in two tracks; Entrepreneurial (upper) and Academic (lower)