PhD fellowship in the Cytosolic axonal glymphatic transport of Rodents in Health and Disease

We are offering a PhD fellowship in the Cytosolic axonal glymphatic transport of Rodents in Health and Disease commencing on 1 October 2024 or after agreement.

Our group and research
Center for Translational Neuromedicine (CTN) currently has 55 employees and students. CTN is characterized by a highly ambitious research environment. The candidate will be part of the Nedergaard lab. Being part of the Nedergaard lab offers an opportunity to work in a multi-disciplinary lab engaged in neuroscience with a focus on the basic biology of glial cells in the CNS and the role of astrocytes in several neurological diseases, including stroke, spinal cord injury, epilepsy, tremor, and ALS. Research is aimed at defining new strategies for the treatment of neurological diseases that target astrocytic dysfunction.

CTN is part of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, and is located at Panum. The Center comprises modern laboratories and excellent facilities within neuroscience.

Project description

The optimal functioning of the brain relies on the precise regulation of interstitial ions, crucial for neuronal excitability. At the forefront of this regulation is the glymphatic system, a complex network overseeing cerebrospinal fluid flow, waste clearance, and ion balance. So far, the glymphatic system mainly focuses on extracellular fluid and uses tracers that cannot be taken up by cells as tools. For some tracers, like Amyloid-b and Cadaverine that would enter all cells, they are transported much faster by the brain glymphatic than the traditional extracellular tracers. In the eye, only tracers (Amyloid-b and cadaverine) that are taken up by retinal ganglion cells can be transported across the lamina cribrosa that hinder extracellular solutes leaves the eye. Preliminary data shows that fluid transport in white matter is much faster albeit extracellular tracers never enter white matter, and there exists a barrier between grey and white matter, may function as the lamina cribrosa in the eyes. Despite some understanding of fluid flow in the brain, the dynamic cytosolic axonal transport in brain remains elusive.

This PhD project aims to unravel the dynamic fluid flow in neurons in both health and disease. The successful candidate will employ advanced optical imaging techniques, in vivo rodent surgeries, continuous handling and care for rodents of various backgrounds to investigate the cytosolic axonal fluid dynamics ex vivo and in vivo.

Using diverse animal models and optogenetic approaches, the research will shed light on how the cytosolic fluid dynamics are regulated and functioned in health and disease conditions. Beyond fundamental discoveries, the project offers a platform for developing innovative tools and experimental workflows. This includes exploring the interplay of ion levels, neurotransmitters, metabolites, and signaling molecules within the glymphatic system on various scales.

Additionally, the research extends to investigating therapeutic strategies targeting pathologies associated with fluid flow clearance and cognitive dysfunction. Applicants with a background in rodent neuroscience, physiology, or related fields and proficiency in optical imaging and molecular techniques are encouraged to apply, contributing to a deeper understanding of the brain fluid dynamic's critical role in brain health and disease resilience.

Principal supervisor is Professor Maiken Nedergaard. The successful candidate will refer to Dr. Nedergaard.

Start: 1 October 2024

Duration: 3 years as a PhD student

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

• Carrying out an independent research project under supervision.

• Completing PhD courses or other equivalent education corresponding to approximately 30 ECTS points.
• Participating in active research environments including a stay at another research team.
• Obtaining experience with teaching or other types of dissemination related to your PhD project.
• Teaching and disseminating your knowledge.
• Writing 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, e.g., neuroscience, biomedical sciences, biology or similar. Note that your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (two years (120 ECTS)).

Other important criteria are:

Your responsibilities will involve devising and executing experimental protocols to visualize, quantify, and manipulate the fluid flow in neurons, especially neuronal axons in distinct brain compartments. Proficiency in the scientific domains of fluid transport in brain (cerebral spinal fluid, extracellular fluid, cellular fluid), waste clearance mechanism (glymphatic system, meningeal lymphatic system), molecular transporters, or interactions between glia and neurons will be advantageous. Additionally, you are anticipated to play a role in instructing and guiding students at the Master's level, contributing to their academic development.

Experience with the following techniques will be an advantage:

• Advanced microscopy techniques

• Rodent handling of various backgrounds

• In vivo rodent surgeries

• Genetically encoded sensors

• In vivo optogenetics

• Electrophysiology

• Coding (MATLAB)

Place of employment

The place of employment is at the Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our research center comprises modern laboratories and excellent facilities within neuroscience.

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 3 years. The start date is 1 October 2024 or after agreement.

The employment 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 Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. Depending on seniority, the monthly salary starts at approximately 27,800 DKK/Roughly 3,700 EUR (October 2021 level) plus pension.

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor Maiken Nedergaard, [xxxxx] or Center Administrator Ann Christensen, [xxxxx]

General information about PhD studies at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences is available at the Graduate School’s website: [xxxxx]

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. 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: [xxxxx] Please note that we might ask you to obtain an assessment of your education performed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science

4. Publication list (if possible)

Application deadline: 21 July 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.

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 find information about the recruitment process at: [xxxxx]

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

The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.

Kilde: [xxxxx]