PhD fellowship in molecular immunology at the LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center (SIC)

We are offering a PhD fellowship in ubiquitin signalling in skin inflammation to commence 1 June 2024 or as soon as possible hereafter.

Our group and research

We aim to uncover novel molecular mechanisms that regulate inflammation and innate immune responses. Through this, we aim to advance our understanding of the molecular aetiology of inflammatory skin diseases and other immune disorders.

A central focus of our research is to elucidate the role and regulation of the ubiquitin system, which plays a central role in regulating inflammation and immune responses in the skin and other organs/tissues. The ubiquitin system is an emerging drug target and through detailed studies of the molecular mechanisms underpinning ubiquitin-based immune signalling, we aim to identify “druggable” molecular processes that ultimately may have clinical benefit in the treatment of skin diseases and other immune-driven pathologies.

We believe in teamwork and have an inclusive and supportive working environment in an international, open-minded atmosphere with a diversity of nationalities among group members and at the Department at large.

As part of SIC, our group is located on the 12th floor in the award-winning Maersk Tower, which offers ultra-modern facilities and a vibrant international research environment with focus on the development of early-career scientists. Based on a grant from the LEO Foundation of more than 50 million EUR, SIC aims to unite leading Danish and international researchers in immunology and skin disease to provide new knowledge to enable better diagnostics and more effective treatments for a wide range of inflammatory skin diseases. Our mission is that SIC will become a world-leading center for research and education in skin and skin diseases. Further information on the center can be found at: https://sic.ku.dk .

Project description

The overarching aim of the PhD project is to explore how immune signalling and inflammation by skin stroma cells, namely keratinocytes and fibroblasts, are regulated to ensure efficient, yet balanced, immune responses.

The PhD project will explore how immune signalling and inflammation by skin stroma cells, namely keratinocytes and fibroblasts, are regulated by the ubiquitin system to ensure efficient, yet balanced, immune responses. The successful candidate will employ advanced human keratinocyte cell culture systems in 2D and in 3D to generate epidermis-like cultures, CRISPR-based gene editing, confocal imaging, molecular biology, and biochemistry methods to explore molecular mechanisms underpinning immune signalling and cell death responses to a variety of skin-relevant challenges. The candidate will work closely with other team members to investigate skin responses to inflammatory challenges in mouse genetic models.

The project requires the use of a wide range of experimental biochemical, molecular and cell biology techniques, including but not limited to mass spectrometry analysis, RNA sequencing, genome editing (CRISPR-cas9), fluorescence imaging, biochemical analysis of signalling pathways.

Principal supervisor:  Prof. Mads Gyrd-Hansen, LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center (SIC), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, E-mail:[email protected], Direct Phone: +45 2434 0323.

Co-supervisor: Prof. Liv Eidsmo, LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center (SIC), Department of Immunology and Microbiology.

Start:                  1 June 2024

Duration:          1 year as research assistant + 3 years as PhD student.

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

• 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 at another research team
• Obtain experience with teaching or other types of dissemination related to your PhD project
• Teach and disseminate your knowledge
• Write 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 (MSc) related to the subject area of the project e.g. the applicant holds a master in biochemistry, molecular biology or equivalent. Prior experimental experience with mammalian cell culture, genetic engineering of cells, analysis of immune signalling pathways, confocal imaging, flow cytometry is preferred. Please note that your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (two years).

Other important criteria are:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant laboratory research experience
• Knowledge about ubiquitin-based immune signalling
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest to explore novel mechanisms of immune regulation
• Excellent English language skills (written and spoken)

Place of employment

The place of employment is the LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center (SIC), Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories on the 12th floor of the Mærsk Tower and access to state-of-the-art core facilities for flow cytometry, single cell sequencing, microscopy, animal facilities etc.

Terms of employment
You will be employed as Research Assistant for one year followed by three years as PhD fellow.

The transfer to employment as PhD fellow after the first year is conditioned upon satisfactory performance and 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 during the first year as research assistant.

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 at around 27,800 DKK /approx. 3,700 EUR (October 2021-level) plus pension.

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD studies 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. 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.

4. Publication list (if any)

Application deadline:  25 March 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 can 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 Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences comprises approximately 7500 students, 1500 PhD students and 3200 employees. The Faculty advances the field of health sciences through its core activities: research, teaching, knowledge sharing and communication. With basic research fields ranging from molecular studies to studies of society, the Faculty contributes to a healthy future through its graduates, research findings and inventions benefitting patients and the community. The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position. 

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.