PhD fellowship in Biocomplexity (PhD Project in Phase Separation and Oscillations in the Cell Response)

PhD fellowship in Biocomplexity

PhD Project in Condensate Formations and Oscillatory Protein Concentrations in Cell Regulation

Niels Bohr Institute
Faculty of SCIENCE

University of Copenhagen

 

The Niels Bohr Institute, Section for Biocomplexity and Biophysics, invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in Phase Separation and Oscillations in the Cell Response. The project is part of a research grant financed by the Novo-Nordisk Foundation.

Start date is 1. November 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project

In this PhD project we will address fundamental problems at the interface of physics and biology: “How can cells control processes in space and time to achieve a fine-tuned regulation? To uncover this fundamental question, we aim to understand the formation of liquid, biomolecular condensates and how these are maintained and dissolved. This presents a horizon both to statistical physics but also in cellular biology. It is known that cells can use liquid-liquid phase separations to produce condensates at distinct locations in space to enhance specific processes. To stimulate the production of proteins, transcription factors play a fundamental role, and they have been revealed to show oscillatory dynamics; however the evolutionary advantage of this remains unknown. We exptect that this dynamics can guide and control this formation and stimulate downstream targets maybe through genetic resonance allowing the cell a new degree of control and cellular decisions. New results also indicate that the formation of transcriptional hotspots is dictated by the formation of biomolecular condensates and that condensates of receptors occur at the cell membrane. It is the goal of this PhD project to establish a bridge between the dynamics of transcription factors with the formation of condensates to understand how complex life creates fine-tuned regulation.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for candidates within the field(s) of physics, computational biology or similar. The successful candidate will have excellent skills in theoretical physics, in particular: statistical physics, dynamical systems, numerical techniques. A basic knowledge of cellular biology is also expected. The candidate should hopefully be extremely enthusiastic about scientific research and be very imaginative with the ability to work independently and in a team.

Our group and research- and what do we offer?

Our group studies complex and biological systems with methods from physics in order to obtain a fundamental understanding of the complex phenomena that can emerge. Our theoretical approach combines analytical calculations with computational simulations and data analysis from our collaborative experimentalists. The members of the group provide a balanced mixture of postdocs, PhD students, and undergraduate students. We conduct curiosity-driven basic research. We have strong collaborations with scientific groups in Harvard, Bangalore, Paris, Göttingen and Taiwan and the successful candidate is encouraged to visit several international collaborators.

The group is a part of The Niels Bohr Institute, Section for Biocomplexity, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. The Section provides a strong, international environment for research in the field of Systems Biology located at Jagtvej 155, 2200 Copenhagen N. The Section currently employs 7 principal investigators, 1 technician, 10 postdocs, 20 PhD students as well as a number of undergraduate students.

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment.

Principal supervisor is Ast. Prof. Mathias Spliid Heltberg, heltberg@nbi.ku.dk, Phone: +45 26191889.

The PhD programme

Qualifications needed
To be eligible for the 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. Statistical physics, Biophysics or similar. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment in the PhD 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 of PhD students

·      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

We are looking for the following qualifications:

·     

Professional qualifications, in particular mathematical and computational, relevant to the PhD project

·      Curious mind-set, with a strong interest in Physics of living matter

·      Relevant publications

·      Relevant work experience

·      Other relevant professional activities

·      Good language skills

Application and Assessment Procedure

 Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include: 

1.     Motivated letter of application including your motivation for applying for this specific PhD project (approx. 2 pages)

2.     Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position

3.     Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science 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.

4.     Publication list (if possible)

5.     Reference letters (if available)

Application deadline:

The deadline for applications is 7 July 2025, 23:59 GMT +1.

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 https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in the end of August / start September. 

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

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 University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.