PhD fellowship in companion animal clinical neurology at Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences

We are offering a PhD fellowship in companion animal clinical neurology commencing 1 August 2021 or as soon as possible hereafter.

Our group and research

The PhD Fellow will be included in The Neurology Group of the Section for Surgery, Neurology & Cardiology based at The Companion Animal Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg Campus (Copenhagen).

The PhD fellow will become part of a group of highly dedicated and enthusiastic veterinary neuro researchers and clinicians with a strong network of leading national and international veterinary and human neurologists and neuroscientists. The research of The Neurology Group at Frederiksberg Campus is clinically based with a strong focus on the investigation of especially the clinical phenotypes and neuroinflammatory and -degenerative disease mechanisms in conditions such as autoimmune inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) diseases, canine cognitive dysfunction and neuropathic pain. We also investigate biomarkers in CNS disease e.g. of brain tumours - all with translational aspects to similar human conditions.

The focus of the present PhD project is the investigation of the clinical phenotype and autoimmune mechanisms in autoimmune inflammatory CNS diseases in dogs.

Project description

Non-infectious inflammatory central nervous system diseases, including steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA) and meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO), are common neurological disorders in dogs. Both SRMA and in particular MUO may be life-threatening to dogs, and improved knowledge of these diseases is therefore wanted. The underlying disease mechanisms are, however, unclear, but the predominating theory is that these conditions are caused by an immune system dysregulation, an assumption which is supported by the fact that the affected dogs respond positively to immunosuppressive therapy.

Autoimmune encephalitides are likewise increasingly recognised in humans as a cause of severe and potentially life-threatening disease. These conditions share several phenotypical characteristics with MUO, and may also share some of the same autoimmune mechanisms. Although specific autoantibodies have been identified in some subtypes of autoimmune encephalitis, many patients (humans and dogs) have autoantibodies against unknown targets.

The objectives of this project are to investigate clinical and paraclinical features (biomarkers and imaging characteristics) of dogs with SRMA and MUO and to identify specific immune mechanisms including autoantibodies involved in the pathogenesis of canine immune-mediated diseases and to translate our results to human autoimmune encephalitis.

Principal supervisor is:

Hanne Gredal, Associate professor, Veterinary Clinical Neurology

Dept. of Veterinary Clinical Sciences

Email: [email protected]

Direct Phone: +4522138730.

Start: 1 August 2021

Duration: 3 years as a PhD student

Job description
Your key tasks as a PhD student at Department of Veterinary Clinical Science 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 with one or more other research teams
• Obtain experience with teaching or other types of dissemination related to your PhD project
• Teach and disseminate your knowledge
• Participate in the Neurology clinic at the The Companion Animal Hospital, University of Copenhagen
• Write a PhD thesis on the grounds of your project

Key criteria for the assessment of applicants
Applicants must have a master’s degree in veterinary medicine (DVM). The candidate must hold a Danish authorization to practice veterinary medicine in Denmark or be able to obtain this authorization upon admission.

Other important criteria are:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project including clinical experience with veterinary neurological patients (companion animals)
• Possible research experience within veterinary neurology
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in veterinary neurology and immune-mediated diseases
• The applicant must be able to communicate in Danish/Scandinavian with clients regarding diagnosis, hospitalization etc. of dogs included in this clinical project.
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Good collaboration and interpersonal skills

Place of employment

The place of employment is at Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Frederiksberg Campus, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories and a state-of-the-art Companion Animal Hospital.

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 26.755 DKK /approx. 3.567 EUR (April 2018-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: Monday 5 April 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 http://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.

Interviews are expected to be held in week 18 and 19.

Kilde: Jobnet.dk