PhD Fellowship i Circadian Neurobiology - København Universitet

We are offering a PhD fellowship in circadian neurobiology commencing on 1 March 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Our group and research
Our research is focused on the 24h circadian system of the mammalian brain. We have a special interest in the circadian interplay between the endocrine system and circadian clocks in the brain.
You will be part of a young, friendly, energetic, highly productive and international research group. Daily contacts between PI and junior scientists and weekly lab meetings ensure frequent guidance. We discuss new data and project progress on a daily basis. Our lab facilities are located in central Copenhagen.

Information on the department and our research group can be found at: http://in.ku.dk/research/rath-lab/

Project description

The circadian system enables the brain to synchronize body functions to the day-night cycle of outmost importance to human health. The main circadian clock is in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus and controls daily rhythms in glucocorticoid hormones. Our recent progress suggests that 24h rhythms in glucocorticoids act to control circadian function of the cerebral cortex. Clinical and experimental findings further show that disruption of circadian function of the cerebral cortex can elicit depression. We here aim to bridge the gap between neuroscience, psychology and psychiatry with the purpose to determine if clock rhythms in leukocytes can be used to monitor circadian misalignment and to establish if rhythmic infusion of glucocorticoids in a 24h schedule can reestablish circadian function of the brain to counteract development of depression.

We expect you to spend at least six months in the laboratory of our collaborator Professor Janne Grønli at University of Bergen, Norway, and to be in frequent contact with our clinical collaborator Professor Klaus Martiny, at Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Denmark.

Principal supervisor is Professor Martin Fredensborg Rath, Department of Neuroscience,mrath@sund.ku.dk, direct phone +45 9356 5394.

Start: 1 March 2026

Duration: 3 years as a PhD student

Job description
Your key tasks as a PhD student at SUND are:

• Carrying through an independent research project under supervision.
• Completing PhD courses or other equivalent education corresponding to approximately 30 ECTS points.
• Participating in active research environments including a stay at another research team. In this case a stay at University of Bergen is part of the project.
• Obtaining experience with teaching or other types of dissemination related to your PhD project
• Teaching and disseminating your knowledge.
• Writing a PhD thesis on the grounds of your project

Key criteria for the assessment of applicants
Applicants must have qualifications corresponding to a master’s degree related to the subject area of the project, e.g. neuroscience, molecular biomedicine, human biology. Please note that your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (two years).

Key selection criteria are:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project, including a FELASA certificate
• Relevant work experience, including hands-on experience with laboratory animals, molecular biology, histology, and neuroanatomical methods
• An proven active interest in circadian neurobiology

Other important criteria are:

• Previous publication activities, including poster presentations
• A curious mind-set
• The grade point average achieved
• Language skills

Place of employment

The place of employment is at the Department of, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories and equipment.

Terms of employment
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 3 years. The start date is 1 March 2026.

The employment is conditioned upon the applicant’s success­ful enrolment as a PhD student at the Graduate School at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project.

The PhD study must be completed in accordance with The Ministerial Order on the PhD programme (2013) and the Faculty’s rules on achieving the degree.

Salary, pension and terms of employment are in accordance with the agree­ment between the Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. Depending on seniority, the monthly salary starts at approximately 29,600 DKK/Roughly 3,950 EUR (November 2025 level) plus pension.

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

General information about PhD studies at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences is available at the Graduate School’s website: https://healthsciences.ku.dk/phd/guidelines/

Application procedure
Your application must be submitted electronically by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. The application must include the following documents in PDF format:

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page)

2. CV incl. education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position

3. Certified copy of original Master of Science diploma and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in other 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. As a prerequisite for a PhD fellowship employment, your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree. We encourage you to read more in the assessment database: https://ufm.dk/en/education/recognition-and-transparency/find-assessments/assessment-database. Please note that we might ask you to obtain an assessment of your education performed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science

4. Publication list (if possible)

Application deadline: Monday 4 January 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.

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.

The assessor makes a non-prioritized assessment of the academic qualifications and experience with respect to the above-mentioned area of research, techniques, skills and other requirements listed in the advertisement.

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 find information about the recruitment process at: http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

The applicants will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

Interviews are expected to be held in week 5.

The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.