Postdoc in Sex-Dependent Differences in Microglia Response in Alzheimer's Disease at the Institute for Veterinary and Animal Sciences

We are looking for a highly motivated and dynamic postdoc for a two-year position, starting 1 May 2024 or shortly thereafter.

The project will investigate the connection between risk SNPs and sex in iPSC derived microglia models. Specifically, we propose that the microglia phenotype in AD females is dependent on both the genetic risk SNPs of innate immunity genes and epigenetic erosion of Xi, changes which might have biomarker potential. Furthermore, these sex-specific differences will have divergent effects on compounds targeting inflammation- and mitophagy-related pathways in men and women to modify AD progression. The work will include iPSC culturing and differentiation as well as functional downstream analyses investigating epigenetic mechanisms, gene expression and cellular pathology. The project is funded by the Lundbeck Foundation and in collaboration with reNEW, Rigshospital and the university of California at Irvine, USA.

Information on the department can be found at: Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)

Our research
Epigenetic and functional studies in microglia derived from patient and control induced pluripotent stem cells will reveal which biological pathways are divergent in female microglia vs. male microglia. It is anticipated that the results from this project will aid the clinical decisions to implement immunomodulatory treatments in a personalized and sex specific manner.

We are an interdisciplinary team with many international members working on various aspects of stem cells biology and disease modelling in humans and animals. More information about the group and research activity can be found here: https://ivh.ku.dk/english/research/pathobiological-sciences/freude-group/

Your job
Your task will be to determine the epigenetic impact on sex and risk SNPs in Alzheimer’s disease in correlation to the individuals sex.

Profile
We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic scientist with the following competencies and experience:

Essential experience and skills:

• You have a PhD in Biology, Biochemistry, Veterinary Science or similar.
• You are highly experienced in stem cell biology, genetics, and applications of CRISPR/Cas9.
• You have an active interest in stem cell research.
• You have proficient communication and writing skills.
• You can work independent and in teams.
• Your English skills are excellent both written and spoken.

Desirable experience and skills:

•  iPSC, fibroblast, NPC, neurons, astrocyte and microglia culture.
•  ICC staining.
•  iPSC characterization.
•  Spontaneous differentiation.
•  Neuronal and glial differentiation.
•  CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing.
•  In situ hybridisation.
•  PCR, RFLP, gel electrophoresis, DNA sequencing.
•  DNA extraction.

It would be considered an advantage if you previously worked with:

• Western blot assay.
• Cytotoxicity assay.
• Protein structure prediction.
• Bacteria culture.
• ELISA assay.
• Confocal microscopy.

Place of employment
The place of employment is at the Department of Veterinary and Animal Science in the Section of Pathophysiology, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern stem cell laboratories and molecular biology labs for functional studies.

Terms of employment
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 2 years. The starting date is 1 May 2024 or as soon as possible.

Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Currently, the monthly salary starts at 36,412 DKK/approx. 4,884 EUR (October 2023 level). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 17.1 % to your pension fund.
Foreign and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions, if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark the last 10 years.

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.

Questions
For further information please contact Prof. Kristine Freude, [email protected]

Foreign applicants may find this link useful: www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility).

Application procedure
Your online application must be submitted in English by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. Furthermore, your application must include the following documents/attachments – all in PDF format:

Deadline for applications: 16th of February 2024, 23.59pm CET

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences comprises approximately 7,815 students, 2,113 researchers and 3,793 employees. The faculty advances the field of health sciences through its core activities: research, teaching, knowledge sharing and communication. With basic research fields ranging from molecular studies to studies of society, the faculty contributes to a healthy future through its graduates, research findings and inventions benefitting patients and the community.
The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.