PhD fellowship in brain resilience to heat at The Department of Neuroscience
fuldtid
PhD fellowship in brain resilience to heat at The Department of Neuroscience
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
University of Copenhagen
We are offering a PhD fellowship in Neuroscience commencing 1 April 2026 or as soon as possible hereafter.
Our group and research
We are a systems neuroscience laboratory focusing on understanding the mechanisms by which neural circuits and behaviors are affected by early life stress and thermic stress (https://in.ku.dk/research/kermen-lab/). Our expertise includes in vivo calcium imaging of large populations of neurons with 2-photon microscopy, manipulation of neuronal activity using optogenetics and chemogenetics, behavioral assays, and cellular/molecular biology techniques to characterize brain circuits’ organization and activity (in situ hybridization chain reaction, immunohistochemistry). We use transparent, transgenic larval zebrafish as a vertebrate model amenable to whole brain imaging at cellular resolution.
You will work under the supervision of Associate Professor Florence Kermen and a senior post-doctoral researcher in our group. You will receive active and regular support in designing, discussing and publishing the results of your research project.
We are in beautiful and well-connected Copenhagen. Frequent scientific and social events organized by, and for, early career researchers at the Department of Neuroscience contribute to a collaborative and enjoyable work atmosphere (https://in.ku.dk/seminars-and-events/early-career-talks/).
Project description
Our lab is interested in how vertebrates cope with heat. We recently characterized zebrafish locomotor and neural dysfunctions that occur under acute heat stress (Andreassen et al., PNAS 2022; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2207052119).
You will conduct experiments to investigate the effects of simulated heatwaves on gene expression in the brain of young zebrafish. You will use molecular and cellular biology techniques (single-cell transcriptomics, RT-qPCR, HCR, immunohistochemistry, and confocal microscopy) to uncover the adaptive mechanisms at play in various brain cell types in response to acute heat stress and heat acclimation.
Principal supervisor is Associate Professor Florence Kermen, Department of Neuroscience, florence.kermen@sund.ku.dk
Start: Date
Duration: 3 years as a PhD student + 1 month as research assistant for enrolment
Job description
Your key tasks as a PhD student at SUND are:
Applicants must have qualifications corresponding to a master’s degree related to the subject area of the project, e.g. human biology, neuroscience, molecular and cellular biology, animal physiology. Please note that your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (two years).
Other important criteria are:
The place of employment is at the Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen (https://in.ku.dk/). We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories, zebrafish research facility, and microscopy facility (https://cfim.ku.dk/).
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 April, 2026 or herafter upon 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 during an initial one-month employment as a 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 Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. Depending on seniority, the monthly salary starts at approximately 31,200 DKK/Roughly 4,150 EUR (November 2025 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
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 possible)
Application deadline: 8 January 2026, 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: http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/
The applicants will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
Interviews are expected to be held in week 7-8, 2026
The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.
University of Copenhagen
We are offering a PhD fellowship in Neuroscience commencing 1 April 2026 or as soon as possible hereafter.
Our group and research
We are a systems neuroscience laboratory focusing on understanding the mechanisms by which neural circuits and behaviors are affected by early life stress and thermic stress (https://in.ku.dk/research/kermen-lab/). Our expertise includes in vivo calcium imaging of large populations of neurons with 2-photon microscopy, manipulation of neuronal activity using optogenetics and chemogenetics, behavioral assays, and cellular/molecular biology techniques to characterize brain circuits’ organization and activity (in situ hybridization chain reaction, immunohistochemistry). We use transparent, transgenic larval zebrafish as a vertebrate model amenable to whole brain imaging at cellular resolution.
You will work under the supervision of Associate Professor Florence Kermen and a senior post-doctoral researcher in our group. You will receive active and regular support in designing, discussing and publishing the results of your research project.
We are in beautiful and well-connected Copenhagen. Frequent scientific and social events organized by, and for, early career researchers at the Department of Neuroscience contribute to a collaborative and enjoyable work atmosphere (https://in.ku.dk/seminars-and-events/early-career-talks/).
Project description
Our lab is interested in how vertebrates cope with heat. We recently characterized zebrafish locomotor and neural dysfunctions that occur under acute heat stress (Andreassen et al., PNAS 2022; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2207052119).
You will conduct experiments to investigate the effects of simulated heatwaves on gene expression in the brain of young zebrafish. You will use molecular and cellular biology techniques (single-cell transcriptomics, RT-qPCR, HCR, immunohistochemistry, and confocal microscopy) to uncover the adaptive mechanisms at play in various brain cell types in response to acute heat stress and heat acclimation.
Principal supervisor is Associate Professor Florence Kermen, Department of Neuroscience, florence.kermen@sund.ku.dk
Start: Date
Duration: 3 years as a PhD student + 1 month as research assistant for enrolment
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
Applicants must have qualifications corresponding to a master’s degree related to the subject area of the project, e.g. human biology, neuroscience, molecular and cellular biology, animal physiology. Please note that your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (two years).
Other important criteria are:
- A curiosity-oriented mind-set with a strong interest in scientific research and neurobiology
- Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project, including experience with practical lab work, preferentially with molecular biology methods (transcriptomics, PCR)
- The ability to work in a structured manner, with strong self-motivation and in collaboration with others.
- The grade point average achieved during the master’s degree
- A valid certificate in Laboratory Animal science (FELASA ABD)
- Proficiency in written and spoken English
The place of employment is at the Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen (https://in.ku.dk/). We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories, zebrafish research facility, and microscopy facility (https://cfim.ku.dk/).
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 April, 2026 or herafter upon 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 during an initial one-month employment as a 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 Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. Depending on seniority, the monthly salary starts at approximately 31,200 DKK/Roughly 4,150 EUR (November 2025 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
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 possible)
Application deadline: 8 January 2026, 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: http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/
The applicants will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
Interviews are expected to be held in week 7-8, 2026
The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.