PhD position for 3 years in stem cell-based disease modelling of the hypothalamus

PhD Position At Novo Nordisk Foundation Center For Stem Cell Medicine

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW) at University of Copenhagen is looking for a PhD student to join the research group led by PI Agnete Kirkeby. The position is scheduled to commence on the 15th of October 2026 or in the following months, as per agreement with the chosen candidate. The position as PhD student is for 3 years, with potential possibility for extension.

The Kirkeby research team is located at the The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW) at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences of University of Copenhagen. Our group works with stem cell-based models to produce high-quality neuronal, glial, 3D and assembloid models. We use these to develop stem cell transplantation therapies for neurodegenerative disorders as well as to perform disease modelling of CNS diseases in vitro. Our work has a strong translational focus, and we build our research on decade-long experience in clinical translational from bringing the first European pluripotent stem cell therapy for Parkinson's Disease into clinical trial. In our disease modelling projects, we work on Parkinson's disease, Lewy Body dementia, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and models of hypothalamic appetite regulation.

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and highly international research environment. Our team at University of Copenhagen currently consists of around 20 team members representing 13 different nationalities. Our students and postdocs always work collaboratively together in teams towards common goals to ensure that no one is left to work alone on a project. Our labs are located in the Center for stem cell medicine placed in modernised research facilities and include state-of-the-art laboratories, pleasant office facilities and access to high-quality core facilities in transcriptomics, imaging, flow cytometry and proteomics.

We are seeking a highly motivated and ambitious PhD candidate with a strong educational background from the field of stem cell biology, biotechnology, neuroscience or similar. You will be part of an international interdisciplinary consortium project studying the molecular mechanisms of appetite regulation in human stem cell-derived hypothalamic in vitro models. You will, in close collaboration with several other project students and postdocs, investigate the intracellular pathways involved in receptor-mediated activation of human appetite-suppressing and appetite-stimulating neurons, using novel stem cell models of key hypothalamic nuclei. You will find yourself working in a highly collaborative environment, closely engaged with other team members who are also working on in vitro stem cell models.

The technologies you will apply are:

• Culturing and subtype-specific differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into neurons ad glial cells
• Quality control of neuronal subtypes in the dish through qRT-PCR and immunocytochemistry
• Scaling up of stem cell cultures to high-throughput multiwell format for automated analysis
• High-throughput screening of peptides and small molecules in the dish for identification of hypothalamic GPCRs with appetite-regulating roles
• Proximity labelling in stem cell models using gene edited cell lines and proteomics
• Mechanistic studies on key GPCRs and their function in stem cell models

  The following requirements for the candidate will be assessed as key criteria for the recruitment.

  Mandatory requirements:

  • Master's degree related to the subject area of the project e.g. Biology, Biomedicine, Biotechnology, Human Biology, Medicine or similar
  • Experience in working with pluripotent stem cells and culturing of neural cell types
  • Collaborative mindset with strong team spirit
  • Fluency in English, written and spoken.

    Positively assessed criteria:

    • Experience in working with 3D/organoid cultures
    • Experience in high-throughput screening assays and high-content image analysis
    • Experience in working with intracellular cAMP assays
    • Experience in working with assessment of neuronal connectivity, synapse formation or neuronal function (i.e. electrophysiology or MEA)
    • Experience in qRT-PCR, ICC, confocal imaging and automated image analysis
    • Experience in CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing of hiPSCs and hESCs

      It is expected that you as the candidate will perform an independent research project with a high degree of autonomy in project planning. We're looking for a candidate with strong scientific depth and intellectual curiosity, with the ability to interrogate complex biology, challenge assumptions, and critically interpret the existing literature. You are expected to positively embrace collaborations with other team members on your own project as well as on the projects of your colleagues. Overall, it is expected that you contribute actively to a pleasant work environment within the group. A strong academic track record with a productive publication list and positive reviews from previous supervisors, collaborators or mentors will also weigh strongly in the assessment.

      The successful candidate will be offered a full-time position for a total of 3 years as PhD student. Salary and other terms and conditions of appointment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant professional organization. The position is covered by the “Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at the Universities” of June 28, 2013. In addition to the basic salary, a monthly contribution to a pension fund is added (18.07% of the salary). Candidates from abroad may be eligible to reduced tax payment, according to the Special Tax Scheme for Researchers.

      Your application must be submitted electronically. The application must include the following documents in PDF format:

      1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
      2. CV incl. education, experience from previous research projects, previous employments, technical skills, language skills and other skills relevant for the position + contact information of two references.
      3. Publication list
      4. Master of Science diploma and transcript of records.

         For questions about the project and group, please contact the principal supervisor:

         Associate Professor Agnete Kirkeby, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine

         e-mail: [email protected]

         Application deadline: 13 September 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.