PhD fellowship in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology at Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences (SUND)
University of Copenhagen

We are offering a three-year PhD fellowship in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology. The PhD fellowship is financed partially by Stadslæge Svend Ahrend Larsen og Grosserer Jon Johannesons Fond, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research at University of Copenhagen. The fellowship is available from 31 December 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Project description
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder characterized by neuropsychiatric, cognitive, and motor disturbances. The disease is caused by an elongation of a CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene, leading to the formation of toxic mutant huntingtin protein causing neuronal dysfunction and death. The central underlying mechanisms of HD are still debated, and no cure is currently available. Results from biofluids from HD patients have elucidate new interesting protein candidates and associated pathways in the disease for further exploration.

The aim of the current PhD project is to validate these finding in cerebrospinal fluids from a larger cohort of patients (500+) with more detailed stratification according to motor and cognitive symptoms. Key proteins will be selected after triage based on function, measurability, targetability and cell origin for focused exploration in HD models (including in vitro,ex vivo, and in vivo models). The primary goal is to find protein candidates tracking disease pathogenesis as well as novel targets for drug design. The main tasks of the PhD student will be to work with clinical samples and prepare them for proteomics analyses, prepare data, and evaluate results. Develop and evaluate a rapid drug screening model in cultured brain slices from HD mice. Test potential drug candidates for efficacy in relevant models.

Principal supervisor team
Assistant professor, Niels Henning Skotte, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research at University of Copenhagen and Professor Petrine Wellendorph, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology.

E-mail:  [email protected] , direct phone: +45 35 33 22 34. Profile: Niels Henning Skotte

Our group and research
The applicant will become part of Skotte Group, which is new research group at the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, that will include postdocs, PhD students, master and bachelor students in the near future. You will be the first member with a great opportunity to shape your own future. We use state of the art proteomics to discover novel biomarkers in human biofluids from patients suffering from neurodegenerative disorders including Huntington’s disease. We evaluate and validate our findings using in vitro and in vivo systems ranging from cell cultures, brain slice cultures to mouse models. We explore the biological mechanisms and define therapeutic targets for drug design in collaboration with other groups at the departments. The focus of the group is to bring discovery to translation making a significant difference in the lives of patients suffering from neurodegeneration. The work will be conducted at Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology and in collaboration with Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research. We will have group meetings, journal clubs, and departmental seminars and attend international conferences. There will be opportunities to work in close collaboration with different researchers and medical doctors at various stages of the project. We emphasize the importance of passion, determination, collaboration, and knowledge sharing in our work together.

Our department
The Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology delivers drug-related research and research-based teaching within a wide range of drug-related disciplines, spanning the molecular, cellular, and pharmacological levels. Information about the Department can be found at https://drug.ku.dk/ .

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research (CPR) promote basic and applied discovery research on human proteins of medical relevance. Information about the Department can be found at https://cpr.ku.dk/ .

Job description
Your key tasks as a PhD fellow at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences are to:

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision
• Complete PhD courses or other equivalent education corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS points
• Participate in active research environments including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Obtain experience with teaching and other types of dissemination related to your PhD project
• Participate in the undergraduate teaching of students in pharmaceutical sciences
• Participate in national and international conferences and scientific meetings
• Write a PhD thesis on the grounds of your research project

Qualifications
The successful candidate for the PhD position must hold an MSc degree in molecular cell biology, human biology, neurobiology or related discipline with demonstrable lab experience and have experience within the field of neuroproteomics. The master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree.The successful candidates will also have strong qualifications or experience within several of the following areas:

• Ability to conduct independent research with solid problem-solving skills
• Experience with sample preparation for proteomics as wells as downstream data analysis
• Knowledge of high-pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry
• Proficiencies in lab work related to protein work and protein assays
• Competence with cell work, brain slice cultures, and/or mouse work
• Knowledge of pharmacology and pathology of neurological disordes including Huntington’s disease
• Experience with biomarker discovery in human biofluids
• Interested in working with big data, bioinformatics, statistics and potentially python coding

Members are expected to collaborate both within the group, within the department, nationally, and internationally; strong networking and team player skills are therefore valued as well as excellent communication skills and fluency in English.

Key criteria for the assessment of applicants

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant work experience
• Publications
• The grade point average achieved
• Other professional activities
• Language skills
• The successful applicant is also required to be enterprising and to possess good interpersonal skills

Terms of employment
The employment as PhD fellow is full time and for 3 years and is to commence on 31 December 2021 or as soon as possible hereafter.

It is conditioned upon the applicant’s successful enrolment as a PhD student at the Graduate School at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project to the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences.

The PhD study must be completed in accordance with The Ministerial Order on the PhD programme (2013) and the Faculty’s rules on achieving the degree.

The PhD student is expected to be affiliated to the graduate programme in pharmaceutical sciences, Drug Research Academy , Graduate Program in Neuroscience, NeuroGrad , or Graduate Program in Molecular Mechanisms of Disease, MoMeD .

Salary, pension and terms of employment are in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. Depending on seniority, the monthly salary begins around DKK 27,800 (approx. 3,730 EUR) (taxable) plus pension (October 2021 level).

Application procedure
Your application, in English, must be submitted electronically by clicking “Apply now” below and must include the following documents in PDF format:

• Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
• CV incl. education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
• Certified copy of original Master of Science diploma and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in other language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.

As a prerequisite for a PhD fellowship employment, your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree. We encourage you to read more in the assessment database: https://ufm.dk/en/education/recognition-and-transparency/find-assessments/assessment-database . Please note that we might ask you to obtain an assessment of your education performed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science.

Applicants with a Master´s degree from abroad should also enclose a short description of the grading scale used

• Publication list (if possible)
• Other information to consider: References and recommendations (if possible)

The deadline for applications is 3. oktober 2021, 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 authorised 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.

The assessor makes a non-prioritized assessment of the academic qualifications and experience with respect to the above-mentioned area of research, techniques, skills and other requirements listed in the advertisement.

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.

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

Interviews are expected to be held in week 42, 2021.

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

Questions
For further information, applicants may contact the supervisor team, Niels Henning Skotte, e-mail: [email protected] , direct phone: +45 3533 6449 or PhD coordinator Marianne W. Jørgensen, e-mail: [email protected] , direct phone: +45 3533 6449.

For more information on working and living in Denmark visit http://ism.ku.dk (International staff mobility) and https://www.workindenmark.dk

The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences comprises approximately 8000 students, 1790 PhD students and 5100 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.