The University of Copenhagen is seeking a highly motivated and talented Postdoc fellow to commence on January 1, 2024, for the Clemmensen and Sakamoto Groups at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR), University of Copenhagen.

About Us
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research’s vision is to strengthen interdisciplinary research that transforms our basic understanding of the mechanisms that underlie cardiometabolic health and disease, and to accelerate this knowledge toward new prevention and treatment strategies. We were established in 2010, and in 2017, we moved into new laboratories and offices in the Maersk Tower.

The Center has around 260 employees who work in an international, highly collaborative research environment across a range of biomedical disciplines. For more information, visit www.cbmr.ku.dk.

Our Research
The Clemmensen Group studies the biological regulation of body weight and aims at developing new therapeutic strategies that can correct obesity and its metabolic comorbidities. The Sakamoto Group investigates fundamental molecular signaling mechanisms that control energy homeostasis and elucidates the regulation/function of potential therapeutic targets related to cardiometabolic disease. We take a multidisciplinary approach, have access to cutting-edge technologies/facilities, collaborate with renowned national/international experts, and support development of early career scientists.

Job Description

The growing obesity epidemic has escalated the progression of a series of non-communicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). While efficient pharmacotherapies have been developed for management of type 2 diabetes, there are no medications approved to treat NASH or for its predecessor non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This project is based on an interdisciplinary collaborative approach between the Clemmensen Group and the Sakamoto Group and includes medicinal chemistry, in vitro/cellular pharmacology, metabolic signaling and preclinical pharmacology. We have developed first-generation liver-targeting pharmacological candidate molecules for safely targeting hepatic metabolic processes to improve liver health in context of fatty liver diseases (NAFLD and NASH). We have preliminary proof of principle in vitro and in vivo data and we are now eagerly looking to accelerate further preclinical testing in appropriate genetic and disease models relevant to liver and other metabolic diseases, including loss-of-function models to confirm target engagement in vivo. As such the project bridges from basic understanding of molecular mechanisms to translation and innovation. Your key tasks will be to design and perform in-depth in vivo pharmacology and metabolic/biochemical analysis of various strains/disease conditions of animals treated with the drug of our interest.

Profile

The Postdoc fellowship is aimed at early-career researchers with a basic science background or clinicians who aspire to a career in academic medicine. We are particularly interested in candidates who are familiar with integrative research approaches within the broad area of basic cardiometabolic research with an application toward human pathophysiology.

Required qualifications:

• PhD in Pharmacology, Physiology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biomedicine, or related sciences
• Excellent scientific track record (i.e. publications, training) in relation to career stage
• Profound knowledge on pharmacology, especially drug testing in preclinical models
• Knowledge on basic substrate metabolism and metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and liver disease (e.g. NAFLD, NASH)
• Experience in independently designing in vivo preclinical studies using disease/genetic models and performing general in vivo phenotyping and in-depth metabolic analysis (e.g. metabolomics, flux analysis using tracers, behavioral studies)
• A curious and innovative mindset with strong self-motivation to develop new knowledge and treatment for complex cardiometabolic diseases
• Excellent English communication skills, both written and oral
• International mobility is a plus

Eligibility

The Postdoc fellowships are open for applicants that hold a PhD degree obtained before January 1, 2024.

Terms of Employment

The employment as Postdoc is a full-time position for 3 years. Starting date is January 1, 2024.

Salary, pension and terms of employment will be in accordance with the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated.

Non-Danish and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark for the last 10 years.

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

Questions

For further information about the position, please contact Professor Kei Sakamoto ([email protected]) or Associate Professor Christoffer Clemmensen ([email protected]). For questions regarding the recruitment procedure, please contact HR at [email protected].

The University of Copenhagen International Staff Mobility office offers support and assistance to all international researchers on all issues related to moving to and settling in Denmark.

Application Procedure

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

• Cover letter expressing the motivation and previous research experience of the applicant (max. one page)
• Curriculum vitae
• Copy of the PhD degree certificate and the Master’s degree certificate. In case the PhD has not yet been completed, a written statement from the supervisor is acceptable, confirming it will be obtained before January 1, 2024.
• List of publications
• References (name and contact details of at least two references)

Application Deadline: June 18, 2023, 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 www.employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process.

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

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their personal backgrounds.

Kilde: Jobnet.dk