PhD position in Plant Specialized Metabolite Transport
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PhD position in Plant Specialized Metabolite Transport
We are seeking a talented PhD fellow to join our team in studying NPF transporters in barley with potential for crop improvement. The candidate will work on elucidating the function of candidate NPF transporters involved in shaping trait formations.
The PhD position is available for 3 years with a start date of 15 September, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.
Project background
Plant production is facing unprecedented challenges. With yield increases achieved by the green revolution leveling off, climate change limiting plant production, and a need to preserve natural habitats, agricultural growth must rely on innovative solutions to develop cultivars with increased yield, nutritional quality and tolerance to abiotic stresses.
Transport proteins embedded within membranes are key targets for improving the efficiency with which plants take up and use nutrients. These proteins not only transport mineral nutrients and control drought tolerance, but are also essential for moving sucrose, the energy currency of plants, to where it is needed and are also central to mechanisms that enable plants to adapt and respond to adverse environments such as saline or dry soils.
As one of the largest transporter families in plants, the nitrate and peptide transporter family (NPF) rose to fame already in the 1990s by the discovery of CHL1 as the first nitrate transporter from higher plants. Since then, the family has emerged as a hotspot for transporters of a wide variety of substrates belonging to plant specialized metabolism with potential for improving a range of crop traits. However, the NPF remains largely uncharacterized in cereals, rendering its highly promising potential in crop improvement unexploited in staple crops.
The project aims to use a range of bioinformatic approaches to identify trait shaping NPF family members in barley. These members will be characterized through biophysical, bioimaging, phenotypic and chemotypic techniques to reveal their physiological role. The ambition is to identify genes which can be included in breeding programmes aiming to improve the yield and climate resilience of barley plants.
The PhD programme
A three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.
Qualifications needed for the regular programme
To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. Biochemistry, Biotechnology or a closely relate field. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.
Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.
Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.
Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.
Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes
You will be part of the research group of Assoc. Prof. Hussam Hassan Nour-Eldin with approx. 10 members. The group is part of the DynaMo Center (www.dynamo.ku.dk) that has approx. 25 members. We offer an inspiring, creative and international research environment, with emphasis on the training of next generation of young scientists.
The DynaMo Center is part of Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. We are located at Frederiksberg Campus in Copenhagen.
Further information on the Department is linked at https://plen.ku.dk/english/.
The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.
Application and Assessment Procedure
Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.
Please include
The deadline for applications are 9 July 2025, 23:59 GMT +2.
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 deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.
The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.
We plan to have interviews at the beginning of August 2025.
General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.
The PhD position is available for 3 years with a start date of 15 September, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.
Project background
Plant production is facing unprecedented challenges. With yield increases achieved by the green revolution leveling off, climate change limiting plant production, and a need to preserve natural habitats, agricultural growth must rely on innovative solutions to develop cultivars with increased yield, nutritional quality and tolerance to abiotic stresses.
Transport proteins embedded within membranes are key targets for improving the efficiency with which plants take up and use nutrients. These proteins not only transport mineral nutrients and control drought tolerance, but are also essential for moving sucrose, the energy currency of plants, to where it is needed and are also central to mechanisms that enable plants to adapt and respond to adverse environments such as saline or dry soils.
As one of the largest transporter families in plants, the nitrate and peptide transporter family (NPF) rose to fame already in the 1990s by the discovery of CHL1 as the first nitrate transporter from higher plants. Since then, the family has emerged as a hotspot for transporters of a wide variety of substrates belonging to plant specialized metabolism with potential for improving a range of crop traits. However, the NPF remains largely uncharacterized in cereals, rendering its highly promising potential in crop improvement unexploited in staple crops.
The project aims to use a range of bioinformatic approaches to identify trait shaping NPF family members in barley. These members will be characterized through biophysical, bioimaging, phenotypic and chemotypic techniques to reveal their physiological role. The ambition is to identify genes which can be included in breeding programmes aiming to improve the yield and climate resilience of barley plants.
The PhD programme
A three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.
Qualifications needed for the regular programme
To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. Biochemistry, Biotechnology or a closely relate field. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.
Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.
Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.
Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.
Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes
- Carry through an independent research project under supervision
- Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
- Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
- Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
- Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
- Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project
- Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
- Relevant publications
- Relevant work experience
- Other relevant professional activities
- Curious mind-set with a strong interest in plant molecular biology
- Good language skills
- A MSc in Biochemistry, Biotechnology or a closely relate field
- A strong motivation for the position
- Excellent written and spoken English
- Well-developed collaborative skills
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
- MS analysis, molecular biology, characterization of transporters
- Expertise and/or strong interest in transporter biology, transporter biochemistry
- Experience with working with Xenopus laevis oocytes will be an advantage
- Experience with greenhouse and/or field studies
- Knowledge of transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and multivariate data analysis
You will be part of the research group of Assoc. Prof. Hussam Hassan Nour-Eldin with approx. 10 members. The group is part of the DynaMo Center (www.dynamo.ku.dk) that has approx. 25 members. We offer an inspiring, creative and international research environment, with emphasis on the training of next generation of young scientists.
The DynaMo Center is part of Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. We are located at Frederiksberg Campus in Copenhagen.
Further information on the Department is linked at https://plen.ku.dk/english/.
The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.
Application and Assessment Procedure
Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.
Please include
- Motivation letter (maximum one page) that clearly articulates your reasons for applying, how your research experience or ideas can advance the project with highlights of specific examples of past contributions or individual cases.
- Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
- Original diplomas for Bachelor or Master 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.
- Complete publication list (if applicable)
- Contact information for two to three reference persons
The deadline for applications are 9 July 2025, 23:59 GMT +2.
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 deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.
The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.
We plan to have interviews at the beginning of August 2025.
General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.