PhD fellowship at Center for Translational Neuromedicine

We are offering a PhD fellowship in exploring the role of astrocytes in modulation of brain function in health and disease commencing 1 January 2025 or as soon as possible hereafter.

Our group and research
The Center for Translational Neuromedicine (CTN) currently has 50 employees and students and is known for its highly ambitious research environment. The academic employee will join the Untiet lab, a multidisciplinary group dedicated to neuroscience research. The lab focuses on the fundamental biology of glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS) and the role of astrocytes in neurological diseases, particularly epilepsy. The research aims to develop new therapeutic strategies targeting astrocytic dysfunction in neurological disorders.

CTN is part of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen and is located at Panum. The Center offers modern laboratories and excellent facilities for neuroscience research.

Project description
Despite decades of research highlighting the role of astrocytes in brain function, the precise mechanisms underlying their involvement remain a subject of debate. Astrocytes, as the brain's primary homeostatic cells, play a critical role in modulating ion concentrations based on brain state. However, despite extensive literature demonstrating their influence, our understanding of how they regulate ion concentrations and subsequently affect brain activity is still incomplete.

The proposed PhD project will focus on investigating the role of astrocytes in maintaining ion homeostasis during health and disease, with a particular emphasis on epilepsy. The research will employ viral techniques to monitor ion fluctuations in astrocytes, in combination with animal models of epilepsy, utilizing 2-photon imaging. Understanding the role of astrocytes in epilepsy could pave the way for developing novel therapeutic approaches.

Principal supervisor is Assistant Professor Verena Untiet. The successful candidate will refer to Dr. Untiet.

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

• Carrying through 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, biology, physiology or similar. Please note that your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (two years (120 ECTS).

Other important criteria are:

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced researcher with expertise in mouse stereotaxic surgery (FELASA certification required) to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in dual-color fluorescent imaging in awake mice, with a particular focus on astrocytes and neurons. Additional experience in sensory stimulation and behavioral assessment is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities:

• Microsurgery in rodents: Virus injection, chronic craniotomies, thin skull preparation, chronic head plating.
• Experimental Design: Develop and implement experimental workflows for visualizing, quantifying, and manipulating ions in awake, behaving, and freely moving mice.
• Advanced Imaging: Perform dual-color fluorescent imaging to study neuronal and astrocytic activity in live mouse models.
• Behavioral Studies: Conduct sensory stimulation and behavioral assessments to investigate the functional roles of targeted cells.
• Mentorship: Train and mentor Master's students, fostering their development in experimental techniques and research methodologies.

Qualifications:

• FELASA certification and extensive experience in mouse stereotaxic surgery.
• Proficiency in dual-color fluorescent imaging in awake mice, focusing on astrocytes.
• Background in sensory stimulation and behavioral analysis is a strong plus.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills in English, with a passion for mentorship and training.
• Experience in preparing cryosections and performing immunohistochemistry.
• Experience in basic molecular biological techniques.

If you are passionate about advancing our understanding of neural and astrocytic interactions and are eager to contribute to a dynamic research environment, we encourage you to apply!

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 January 2025 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 30,700 DKK/Roughly 4,100 EUR (April 2024 level) plus pension.

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor Verena Untiet, [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:16 October 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]