Postdoc in Metabolic Pharmacology

The University of Copenhagen is seeking a highly motivated and talented Postdoc fellow to commence on November 15, 2026, or after agreement in the Gerhart-Hines 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 located in the Maersk Tower at Panum since 2017. The around 260 employees create an international, highly collaborative research environment across disciplines.

Our Research
The Gerhart-Hines Group is broadly interested in how neuronal, hormonal, nutrient, and bioenergetic signalling pathways collectively orchestrate systemic energy homeostasis and defend metabolic health. We explore coordination between peripheral and central homeostatic pathways through a combinatorial approach that brings together gene, protein, metabolite, and lipid profiling with cutting-edge in vivo physiological phenotyping and pharmacological engineering. Through this comprehensive approach, we believe we are poised to make transformative breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of metabolic adaptation and to develop these findings into innovative strategies for counteracting cardiometabolic disease.

Job Description

The postdoctoral fellow will design and execute preclinical studies in diet‑induced obese mice to understand how next‑generation obesity therapeutics can be engineered to couple potent weight loss with active protection of lean mass and maintenance of resting energy expenditure. The project emphasizes integrative physiology, combining longitudinal metabolic phenotyping with deep molecular analyses to generate a blueprint for muscle‑preserving, energy‑expenditure‑promoting pharmacotherapies.

Key responsibilities:

• Plan and perform in vivo dosing studies in rodent models of obesity, including longitudinal assessments of body composition, energy expenditure, fuel selection and physical activity using metabolic cages and MRI.
• Conduct in vivo and ex vivo assessments of skeletal muscle function (e.g. force generation, fatigue resistance) and mitochondrial bioenergetics (high‑resolution respirometry) to define drug effects on muscle quality.
• Coordinate tissue collection and analysis across muscle, liver, adipose tissue and other organs to map signaling and proteomic pathways that underlie favorable changes in body composition and metabolism.
• Integrate physiological, signaling and omics datasets and drive manuscript preparation and presentation of findings at international meetings.
• Contribute to the daily research environment of the Gerhart‑Hines group, including informal supervision of MSc/PhD students and active participation in group meetings and CBMR activities.

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 biochemistry, molecular biomedicine, or related sciences
• Excellent scientific track record (i.e., publications, training) in relation to career stage
• Profound knowledge of metabolism, human biology, and indirect calorimetry 
• Profound experimental skills in in vivo phenotyping and in vivo pharmacology
• A FELASA or equivalent certification for animal experimentation is desirable.
• A curious and innovative mindset with strong self-motivation to develop new knowledge and treatment for complex modern chronic diseases
• Excellent English communication skills, both written and oral

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 Professor Zach Gerhart-Hines, at zpg@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. one page)
• Curriculum vitae
• 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
• References (name and contact details of at least two references)

Application Deadline: August 10, 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 above mentioned 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.