PhD position in the HORIZON-MSCA-2022-DN Doctoral Network “B-ACTIVE”: A genetically engineered cell-based platform to...

We are offering a PhD position at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (ICMM) with the Clausen Group, commencing 1 January 2025 or after agreement. The position is a fixed term for 3 years and full time (37 working hours on average per week).

The candidate will be part of a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN) Training Network.

The position is open for talented researchers with a master’s degree, who want to pursue a PhD degree in biomedical research. The project B-ACTIVE Doctoral Network (MSCA DN) is funded from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under the MSCA Doctoral Network grant agreement Nº 101120187.

The project
The recent death of more than 6.5 million people caused by the COVID-19 pandemic shows that treating excessive inflammation is still a major challenge. Pharmaceuticals targeting cytokine/chemokine storms in lungs are, therefore, an urgent unmet medical need. Chemokines and their receptors drive migration and activation of leukocytes and inflammation. Although the ligands and receptors were identified in the last 3 decades, increasing fundamental, preclinical and sporadic clinical evidence indicates that posttranslational regulation of chemokine ligands and receptors may impact the inflammatory reaction significantly. Our incomplete understanding of complex immune reactions prohibits efficient drug development and patient treatment.

In the B-ACTIVE network, fundamental and clinical scientists and companies will study the impact of posttranslational modifications of chemokine ligands and receptors and train 10 doctoral candidates (DCs) to future experts in this domain with a translational and interdisciplinary mindset. The DCs will characterize interactions between chemokine ligands, receptors and glycosaminoglycans, study signaling pathways and recognize their importance in inflammatory reactions. DCs will be trained in the complexity of inflammatory responses from basic science to clinical applications and industrial development. B-ACTIVE will improve our understanding of inflammatory reactions, aid in identifying the right drug targets and participate in pharmaceutical development, for better patient treatment.

DC10: We are seeking a highly motivated and intellectually curious PhD candidate to contribute to this project at Copenhagen Center for Glycomics (CCG), University of Copenhagen, which is a world leader in genetic glycoengineering and dissection of biological functions of glycans. CCG has state-of-the-art facilities for mass spectrometry, mass photometry, flow cytometry, cell engineering, and glycan arrays, and CCGs group leaders hold diverse expertise in all areas of glycosciences. Our core resources include glycoproteome data and bioinformatics tools, validated gene editing tools, glycoengineered cell libraries, and design matrices for the recombinant production of glycotherapeutics. CCG hosts international seminar series, PhD courses in glycobiology and gene editing, and participates in the Departments education program.

This PhD project will leverage the genetic engineering expertise at CCG to investigate the role of sulfation and O-glycosylation of chemokine receptor in regulating its functions. The DC will be trained in genetic glycoengineering technologies using CRISPR/Cas9, cell-based glycan array screening method, as well as preparation of chemokine proteoforms through secondments.

Planned secondments:

1. The biotech company GlycoDisplay Aps, Copenhagen (Y-H. Chen supervisor) (6 months), cell engineering technologies;
2. Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. (P. Proost supervisor) (2 month), preparation of chemokine proteoforms;

The candidates must have a master's degree in either biochemistry, molecular biology, (bio)medicine, biology, or similar.

The successful candidates will be employed as a PhD student at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

Our research
Copenhagen Center for Glycomics placed at the Health and Science Faculty at University of Copenhagen use genetic approaches to study the biology of complex glycans in health and disease. CCG has pioneered the cell-based glycan arrays that are comprised of large libraries of isogenic cells genetically engineered to have distinct glycosylation capacities and hence distinct display of glycans on the cell surface (PMID: 31227230, 33111073, 33617880, 34210959).
The cell-based glycan arrays enable discovery and dissection of interactions with glycans in their natural environment as glycoconjugates on the cell surface. This technology is valuable for cell-based screening and discovery of interplays between protein sulfation and O-glycosylation on chemokine receptors, which is the focus of the B-ACTIVE European Training Network the applicant will be involved in.

Principal supervisor: Professor, group leader Henrik Clausen; e-mail: [email protected].

Start date: 1 January 2025 or after agreement with the cohort of the MSCA-DN
Duration: 3 years

The successful candidate will conduct independent research related to the topics above at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (ICMM). We expect the candidate to engage in an active research environment and take part in student guidance.

Key criteria for the assessment of applicants for the position
You have a master's degree in biochemistry, molecular biology, (bio)medicine, biology, or similar (equivalent to a Danish candidate 3+2 years).

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: https://ufm.dk/en/education/recognition-and-transparency/find-assessments/assessment-database.

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

Other important criteria are:

• Qualifications corresponding to a master’s degree related to the subject area of the project, e.g. Molecular Biology, or related areas.
• The grade point average achieved.
• Good level of English proficiency (understood, spoken and written).
• Team spirit and proactive attitude.
• Experience in molecular biology, gene editing, and/or cell culture are advantages.
• Previous scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals are not required but will be an advantage.

Mobility rule
The researcher must not have resided or carried out his/her/their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date. Short stays as holidays and compulsory military service and/or Refugee Convention 1951 are disregarded.

Eligibility as Doctoral Candidate (DC)
The recruited DC must be doctoral candidates, i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree on the first day of employment. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible.

Place of employment
The place of employment is at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (ICMM), University of Copenhagen. ICMM offers a creative and ambitious scientific environment, with many different nationalities represented. ICMM aims to produce research with high international impact focusing on the functional cell, its genetic components, and molecular cellular mechanisms in a medical context.

ICMM currently comprises five research programs, three high profile Research Centers as well as several international research groups. The scientists at ICMM are involved in high quality research based undergraduate and graduate teaching programs at the University of Copenhagen.

More information can be found at https://icmm.ku.dk/english/.

Terms of employment
Salary, pension and terms of employment will be in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organization. Currently, the monthly salary starts at DKK 30,716 / approx. EUR 4,122 (April 2024-level). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 17.1 % to your pension fund.

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

Questions
For further information about the position, please contact the hiring group leader mentioned above.

International applicants may find this link useful: www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility) or https://www.workindenmark.dk.

Application procedure
Your online application must be submitted in English by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. Furthermore, your application must include the following documents/attachments – all 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 any).

Deadline for applications: Wednesday 30 October 2024, 23:59 PM 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 above-mentioned 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 which will consist of both internal (UCPH) and external members. 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 may 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 University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.

Kilde: Jobnet.dk