PhD fellowship in the Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics

Updated: over 2 years ago
Deadline: 03 Oct 2021

We are offering a PhD fellowship in human-yeast interactions commencing in January 2022.

Our group and research
This work will take place in the context of the Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics. At the center, diverse scholars from around the world are revisiting the story of humans and animals more generally from the “hologenomic perspective,” in which animals and their microbes are considered holistically.

Project description

For years, anthropologists have talked about the idea that the relationship between humans and yeasts could be talked about either as a case in which humans domesticated yeasts or, alternatively, in which yeasts domesticated humans. After all, the global populations of yeasts are far larger than global human populations and the products produced by yeasts affect many aspects of human behavior (via their products, such as beer, wine and bread). In this framing, the story of yeasts is not so unlike, for example, the story of the Ophiocordyceps fungi that produce compounds that alter the behavior of ants in ways that benefit the fungi (but not the ants).[1] In this PhD, we propose to take the yeast perspective in the story of humans and yeasts more seriously. This project will include at least three elements. First, the student will work with Dunn and Andersen to develop models (drawing from approaches used in community ecology and evolutionary theory) of early interactions between humans and yeasts and those situations in which yeasts might be expected to benefit more than humans and vise versa. Second, the student will use hologenomics approaches and potentially ancient DNA approaches to consider how and when yeasts spread around the world, and the extent to which they spread with humans. Third, the student will consider the scenarios in which humans and yeasts, together (as a kind of ”extended hologenome”) were likely more to succeed relative to humans not engaging in interactions with yeasts. 

Principal supervisor isRobert Dunn, Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, [email protected]

Start: 1 January 2022

Duration: 3 years as a PhD student

Job description
Your key tasks as a PhD student at SUND are:

  • 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 team
  • Obtain experience with teaching or other types of dissemination related to your PhD project
  • Teach and disseminate your knowledge through public engagement events
  • Write a PhD thesis on the grounds of your project

Key criteria for the assessment of applicants
Applicants must have qualifications corresponding to a master’s degree related to the subject area of the project. This can include experience in microbiology, ecology, or evolution.

Other important criteria are:

  • The grade point average achieved
  • Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
  • Previous publications
  • Relevant work experience
  • Other professional activities
  • Evidence of finishing projects.
  • Language skills

Place of employment

The place of employment is at the Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics in the Globe Institute, part of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment.

Terms of employment
The employment as PhD fellow is full time and for 3 years.

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 formulated by the applicant.

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. 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 27.700 DKK / approx. 3.720 EUR (April 2021-level) plus pension.

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences is available at the Graduate School’s website: https://healthsciences.ku.dk/phd/guidelines/

Application procedure
Your application must be submitted electronically by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. The application must include the following documents in PDF format: 

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page)

2. CV incl. education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position

3. Master of Science diploma and transcript of records. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor will do

4. Publication list (if possible)

Application deadline:  3 October 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 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.

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.

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 7500 students, 1500 PhD students and 3200 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. 


[1] Andersen, Sandra B., Sylvia Gerritsma, Kalsum M. Yusah, David Mayntz, Nigel L. Hywel-Jones, Johan Billen, Jacobus J. Boomsma, and David P. Hughes. "The life of a dead ant: the expression of an adaptive extended phenotype." The American Naturalist 174, no. 3 (2009): 424-433.


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.



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