Fully funded PhD fellowships in computational and experimental de novo protein design

Affiliation:

Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Design

Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology and Department of Biology

Overview:

The NNF Center for Protein Design (CPD) and the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) seek applications from highly motivated and talented students interested in pursuing PhDs in de novo protein design. Primarily, we are looking for students with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the biological, chemical, computational or physical sciences. We will consider applications from suitably qualified people with a passion for researching and advancing de novo protein design. The successful applicants would form the CPD’s first cohort of PhD students starting in September 2026. There are two routes into these PhDs: Option A is direct entry into a 3-year PhD and requires a Danish master’s degree or the equivalent; and Option B is an integrated MSc and PhD of up to 5 years and requires a Danish bachelor’s degree or equivalent. The PhD students will contribute to teaching and related activities in the CPD and host departments.

The projects:

De novo protein design can be defined as building completely new proteins from scratch using rules-based, computational, or AI approaches. Protein design has two main aims: First, to learn and understand the language of proteins. This enables researchers to write down or computationally generate new protein sequences that adopt new-to-nature structures and functions. Second, to use this understanding and methodology to design proteins that address problems in the fundamental and applied biosciences. More specific details of the CPD’s approach to protein design are given below.

Protein design is multidisciplinary. It bridges the interfaces between the biological, chemical, computational, and physical sciences. It combines rational and computational protein design with experimental characterisation to deliver new proteins to address challenges to advance fundamental science and for applications in biotechnology, medicine, and beyond. For its 2026 entry, a number of CPD PhD studentships will be awarded to work in this broad area. More specifically, these will be associated with Core CPD groups of Professor Dek Woolfson (CPD Director; https://woolfsonlab.wordpress.com/) and Professor Nicholas Taylor (https://nmitaylor.com), and their local collaborators at the University of Copenhagen. Project areas include but are not limited to:

Design and characterisation of the folding and dynamics in de novo proteins

See: DOI: /10.1039/D5SC05576H and DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21851-8.

Installing catalytic activities into de novo protein scaffolds

See: DOI: /10.1021/jacs.4c16633 and DOI: 10.1038/nchem.2555

Targeting subcellular complexes and functions through de novo peptide and protein design

See: DOI: /10.1038/s41557-023-01321-y and DOI:10.1038/s41586-024-08493-8

De novo design of molecular machines

See DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.08.016 and DOI: 10.1101/2025.03.07.641123

Towards improved phage therapy through de novo design

See DOI:10.1038/nature17971 and DOI:10.1126/sciadv.adv0870

Who we are looking for: We encourage applications for these founding PhD fellowships in the CPD from students interested in joining a new, vibrant, and multidisciplinary centre focussing on protein design; developing skills in combined experimental and computational protein design; and applying this training in cutting-edge fundamental and applied research.

Primarily, we are seeking students with degrees in the biological, chemical, computational or physical sciences. However, we will consider applicants from other disciplines who demonstrate a clear passion for any aspect of the burgeoning field of protein design. We are particularly interested in applications from people with backgrounds in computational or experimental protein science, or which combine these. Prior experience of de novo protein design or protein engineering is not a requirement, but it would be an advantage.

The CPD and what we can offer:

The CPD is ambitious. It aims to advance and apply protein design in wider contexts such as cell biology, medicine, and biotechnology. To facilitate this, the CPD is housed in specifically designed and fully refurbished offices and laboratory spaces on the North Campus at the University of Copenhagen. These offer state-of-the-art computational and experimental facilities to enable the very best protein-design research. The CPD regularly hosts world-leading protein designers to interact with its researchers. It also collaborates widely with regional and international experts. In these ways, the centre brings together broad and complementary expertise in all aspects of protein design. The CPD fosters a highly collaborative, inclusive, and productive research environment that values the contributions and opinions of all its employees. These people, our facilities, and the overall environment will provide the best training for CPD PhD students and post-docs.

In addition to training provided by the CPD and across UCPH, attendance at local conferences and the CPD Annual Conference, all students will be supported to attend relevant courses and scientific meetings outside of UCPH to enhance their training and career prospects.

PhD training and structure: The CPD will provide training in theoretical and practical aspects of protein design; for example, with relevant classes in protein structure and function, and computational methods including AI approaches to protein design. In addition, students will experience highly collaborative research in a dynamic and supportive environment with possibilities to develop collaborations within the centre, across the University, and internationally. The formal PhD will be for three years. During this time, students will gain teaching experience, and experience of working outside of their main PhD labs.

PhD entry:

Depending on their level of education, students can undertake the PhD programme as either:

Option A: 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.

Or

Option B: An up to five year full-time study programme within the framework of the integrated MSc and PhD programme (the 3+5 scheme), if you do not have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master´s degree – but you have an education equivalent to a Danish bachelors´s degree.

Option A: Getting into a position on the regular PhD programme

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. within the biological, chemical, computational or physical sciences. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment in the regular programme (Option A):

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 or the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, 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.

Terms of the integrated programme (Option B):

To be eligible for the integrated scholarship, you will be enrolled in one of the UCPH master’s programmes. Students on the integrated programme will enrol as PhD students simultaneously with completing their enrolment in this MSc degree programme. The duration of the integrated programme is up to five years and depends on the number of credits that you have passed on your MSc programme. For further information about the study programme, please see: www.science.ku.dk/phd , “Study Structures” and https://healthsciences.ku.dk/phd/admission-requirements/different-routes-to-a-phd/.

Until the MSc degree is obtained, (when exactly two years of the full 3+5 programme remains), the grant will be paid partly in the form of 48 state education grant portions (in Danish: “SU-klip”) plus salary for work (teaching, supervision etc.) totalling a workload of 150 working hours per year.

A PhD grant portion is currently (2026) DKK 7,426 before tax.

When you have obtained the MSc degree, you will transfer to the salary-earning part of the scholarship for a period of two years. At that point, the terms of employment and payment will be according to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State (AC). The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes:

• Complete and pass the MSc education in accordance with the curriculum of the MSc programme (ONLY when you are attending the integrated MSc and PhD programme).

• 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 based on your project.

Application and Assessment Procedure

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

Applications should include only:

• A 2-page (maximum) curriculum vitae, including lists of any relevant research experience and publications.
• A cover letter (maximum 1 page) describing your motivation and background for wanting to do a PhD in protein design, and detailing one of the areas outlined above that you are most interested in for your research (1/2 of the page)
• 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.
• No other documents are required and will not be accepted at this stage.

You may be asked to provide additional documentation for qualifications at a later stage.

Contacts: For general enquiries, please contact Center PA, Michala Yun-Joo Schlichtkrull, cpd@ku.dk

The deadline for applications is: 4 March 2026 at 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.

After the deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased assessment panel. You are notified whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessment panel will assess the qualifications and experience of the applicants with respect to the above-mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessment panel will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two programme options. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment.

Interview dates: mid April 2026

You can read about the recruitment process at: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

Questions
For further information regarding the positions, please contact the Center PA, Michala Yun-Joo Schlichtkrull via: cpd@ku.dk;

Learn more: https://cpd.ku.dk/