Postdoc in Translational Metabolic Research and Digital Biomarkers of Glucose Homeostasis

The University of Copenhagen is seeking a highly motivated and talented Postdoctoral fellow to commence on November 15, 2026, or after agreement in the Treebak Group at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR), University of Copenhagen.

The Postdoc 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 in the Maersk Tower at Panum since 2017. The around 260 employees create an international, highly collaborative research environment across disciplines.

Our Research
The research environment in the Treebak Group is highly interdisciplinary, integrating molecular biology, physiology, and advanced computational approaches to study metabolic health. The group combines innovative preclinical models with omics technologies and analytical pipelines, while actively translating findings into human studies, reflecting a strong commitment to translational science. You will be embedded in a collaborative and supportive environment that values close interaction between experimental and computational researchers, fostering both scientific rigor and creativity. The group operates within an extensive international network of collaborators and contributes to large-scale, multi-center research efforts, ensuring exposure to diverse expertise and datasets. We emphasize an inclusive and collegial work culture, where diversity of backgrounds and perspectives is seen as a key driver of innovation and scientific excellence. Team members are encouraged to take ownership of their projects while receiving strong mentorship and support at all career stages. Overall, the group provides a dynamic and collaborative setting aligned with cutting-edge, data-driven, and translational metabolic research.

Job Description

We strive to uncover novel digital biomarkers of glucose homeostasis by leveraging high-resolution continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data across both mice and humans. This project is founded on the premise that dynamic features embedded in CGM time-series data capture essential aspects of metabolic regulation that are not accessible through conventional clinical measurements. Your tasks would be to extract, characterize, and validate such biomarkers from large-scale murine CGM datasets and evaluate their robustness across diverse physiological and experimental conditions. A central objective will be to determine the translational relevance of these biomarkers by aligning murine findings with human CGM data and established clinical indicators of metabolic health. You will further contribute to bridging experimental and clinical research by back-translating human-derived glycemic signatures into mechanistic studies in mouse models. The project integrates computational analysis, physiology, and large-scale human data to establish a unified framework for interpreting glucose dynamics across species. Through this work, we aim to advance a systems-level understanding of glucose regulation and improve early detection of metabolic dysfunction. Ultimately, the position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of scalable, physiology-informed tools for translational metabolic research.

Profile

The Postdoc fellowship is aimed at early-career researchers with a basic science background or clinicians who aspire to a career in academic medicine. We are particularly interested in candidates who are familiar with integrative research approaches within the broad area of basic cardiometabolic research with an application toward human pathophysiology.

Required qualifications:

• PhD in biomedical sciences, physiology, computational biology, biostatistics, or a related quantitative life science discipline
• Strong experience in analysis of large-scale time-series or high-dimensional datasets, preferably within metabolic or physiological research
• Proficiency in programming (R and/or Python) with a focus on reproducible data analysis and statistical modeling
• Solid understanding of metabolic physiology, particularly glucose homeostasis and insulin action
• Experience with continuous physiological monitoring data (e.g., CGM) or similar longitudinal datasets is highly desirable
• Familiarity with machine learning or advanced data-driven approaches for biological data analysis
• Demonstrated ability to work in interdisciplinary and collaborative research environments, with strong communication and scientific writing skills

Eligibility

The Postdoc fellowships within the CBMR International PhD & Postdoc Program are open for applicants with a PhD degree awarded from a university outside of Denmark. The program is also open for applicants with a Danish PhD degree who can document at least 12 months of full-time research experience from outside Denmark during or after the PhD studies. The PhD degree has to be obtained before November 15, 2026. You are not eligible to apply for the program if you have been employed in a postdoctoral position for more than one year at the University of Copenhagen prior to the commencement of the fellowship.

Terms of Employment

The employment as Postdoc is a full-time position for 2 years. Starting date is November 15, 2026, or after agreement.

Salary, pension and terms of employment will be in accordance with the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated.

Non-Danish and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark for the last 10 years.

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2025.

Questions

For further information about the position, please contact Associate Prof. Jonas Treebak at jttreebak@sund.ku.dk. Questions regarding the CBMR International PhD & Postdoc Program must be directed to Senior Advisor Sarah Christoffersen at sarah.christoffersen@sund.ku.dk. For questions regarding the recruitment procedure, please contact HR at hr-cbmr@adm.ku.dk.

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 for position’ link below. Furthermore, your application must include the following documents/attachments – all in PDF format:

• Cover letter expressing the motivation and previous research experience of the applicant (max 1 page)
• Curriculum vitae (max 2 pages)
• Copy of the PhD degree certificate and the Master’s degree certificate. In case the PhD has not yet been completed, a written statement from the supervisor confirming the PhD degree will be obtained before November 15, 2026, is necessary.
• List of publications (only work that has been published or is “in-press”)
• References (name and contact details of at least two references)

Application Deadline: August 10, 2026, 23.59pm CEST

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.