The University of Copenhagen is seeking a highly motivated and talented PhD fellow to commence February 1, 2026, or after agreement in the Gerhart-Hines Group at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR), University of Copenhagen.
The PhD fellowship is part of the CBMR International PhD & Postdoc Program.
About Us
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR) is an academic research Center that pioneers groundbreaking research towards better cardiometabolic health. Through collaborative interdisciplinary research from single-cell genomics to whole-body systems, CBMR aims to transform the basic understanding of cardiometabolic health and accelerate its translation into prevention and treatment strategies. The Center’s uniquely multi- and interdisciplinary approach combines research in genetics, physiology and pharmacology, to better understand the complex interplay of the many factors that drive cardiometabolic disease. You can learn more in the Executive Summary of CBMR's Strategy 2024–2028.
CBMR was established in 2010 at the Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences and has been located in the Maersk Tower at Panum since 2017. The around 250 employees create an international, highly collaborative research environment across disciplines.
Our Research
The Gerhart-Hines Group is broadly interested in how neuronal, hormonal, nutrient, and bioenergetic signalling pathways collectively orchestrate systemic energy homeostasis and defend metabolic health. We explore coordination between peripheral and central homeostatic pathways through a combinatorial approach that brings together gene, protein, metabolite, and lipid profiling with cutting-edge in vivo physiological phenotyping and pharmacological engineering. Through this comprehensive approach, we believe we are poised to make transformative breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of metabolic adaptation and to develop these findings into innovative strategies for counteracting cardiometabolic disease.
Project Description
The bidirectional communication between the adipose tissue and the central nervous system is crucial for sustaining metabolic homeostasis and health. We recently identified a novel secretory cell type in mouse and human adipose tissue that we believe plays a central role in this fat-brain signaling axis. In this project, we would like to interrogate the role of these cells in modulating systemic energy homeostasis. Additionally, we will functionally investigate what specific factors or signals these cells are releasing and explore the therapeutic potential of select secreted factors for mitigating metabolic disease. Given that we find this cell population to be linked to the control of energy-expenditure, this project holds the potential to identify therapeutic candidates that would ideally complement the current appetite-suppressing obesity drugs. During the project, you will work with primary mouse and human adipocytes, leverage newly generated genetic mouse models, employ novel pharmacological and viral targeting strategies, and learn advanced metabolic phenotyping techniques. The project is co-supervised by Associate Professor Camilla Scheele, who is a world leader in human adipose physiology. You will also have the opportunity to work with an international team of collaborators both at CBMR (Assoc. Prof. Brice Emanuelli and Prof. Ruth Loos) and abroad (Prof. Patrick Seale, Prof. Henning Fenselau, and Assoc. Prof. Lawrence Kazak).
Principal supervisor: Associate Professor Zach Gerart-Hines, [email protected]
Start: February 1, 2026
Duration: 1 year as Research Assistant followed by 3 years as PhD fellow contingent on a positive evaluation of the 1st year.
Profile
The PhD fellowship is aimed at early-career researchers with a basic science background or clinicians who aspire to a career in academic medicine.
Required qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Biology, Neuroscience, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Molecular Biomedicine, or related sciences.
- The grade point average achieved
- Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
- Previous publications
- Relevant work experience
- Other professional activities
- Experience with in vivo phenotyping
- Knowledge of neuronal and adipose biology, energy homeostasis, and endocrinology
- A FELASA or equivalent certification for animal experimentation is desirable.
- A curious and innovative mindset with strong self-motivation to develop new knowledge and treatment for complex modern chronic diseases
- Excellent English communication skills, both written and oral
Eligibility
The PhD fellowships within the CBMR International PhD & Postdoc Program are open for applicants that hold a Master’s degree. The Master’s degree has to be obtained before February 1, 2026. You are not eligible to apply for the program if you have been employed in a Research Assistant position for more than two years at the University of Copenhagen prior to the commencement of the fellowship.
Terms of Employment
The employment consists of 1 year as a Research Assistant followed by 3 years as PhD fellow contingent on a positive evaluation of the 1st year. Starting date is February 1, 2026, or after agreement.
The employment as PhD fellow 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.
Questions
For further information about the position, please contact Associate Professor Zach Gerhart-Hines at [email protected]. Questions regarding the CBMR International PhD & Postdoc Program must be directed to Senior Advisor Sarah Christoffersen at [email protected]. For questions regarding the recruitment procedure, please contact HR at [email protected].
General information about PhD studies at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences is available at the Graduate School’s website.
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:
- Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
- CV incl. education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant to the position
- Certified copy of original Master’s diploma and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another 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.
- List of publications
- References (name and contact details of at least two references)
Application Deadline: September 21, 2025, 23.59 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.
Københavns Universitet giver sine knap 10.000 medarbejdere muligheder for at udnytte deres talent fuldt ud i et ambitiøst, uformelt miljø. Vi sikrer traditionsrige og moderne rammer om uddannelser og fri forskning på højt internationalt niveau. Vi søger svar og løsninger på fælles problemer og gør ny viden tilgængelig og nyttig for andre.
