PhD fellowship in DNA Replication and Early Mammalian Development at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine Full-time NEW

Fully Funded PhD Fellowship in the Halliwell Group

We are offering a fully funded three-year PhD fellowship in the Halliwell Group at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (ICMM), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. The position is funded through the Novo Nordisk Foundation Hallas-Møller Emerging Investigator Grant and will commence on 1 April 2027.

The Halliwell Group investigates one of the most fundamental questions in biology: how life successfully begins from a single cell. We study how DNA replication is established during the earliest stages of mammalian development and how failures in this process contribute to genome instability, infertility and pregnancy loss.

Our research combines developmental biology, genome biology, molecular genetics and embryology with state-of-the-art genomic technologies. We are particularly interested in understanding how the maternal and paternal genomes are reprogrammed immediately after fertilisation and how this process ensures faithful genome duplication during the first embryonic cell divisions.

As a member of the laboratory, you will join an ambitious and collaborative research environment where curiosity, technical innovation and scientific independence are encouraged. The group is embedded within ICMM, providing access to outstanding facilities for human and mouse embryology, advanced microscopy, genome engineering, transgenic mouse models and single-cell genomics.

Project description

Every human life begins with a single fertilised egg that must accurately duplicate its DNA before the first cell division. Surprisingly, DNA replication during these earliest stages of development remains poorly understood despite its importance for healthy embryonic development. Errors that arise during this process are thought to contribute to many cases of embryo arrest, miscarriage and developmental disorders.

This PhD project will investigate how DNA replication programmes are established immediately after fertilisation and how they are coordinated with changes in chromatin organisation and genome regulation. Using a combination of molecular biology, genome engineering, embryology and single-cell genomic approaches, the project aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms that ensure accurate genome duplication at the beginning of life.

The successful candidate will receive extensive training in modern experimental techniques and will have the opportunity to develop expertise in embryology, genome biology and functional genomics while working on a highly interdisciplinary project.

Principal supervisor is Dr Jason Halliwell, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, jhalliwell@sund.ku.dk.

Start: 1st April 2027

Duration: 3 years as a PhD student

Job description As a PhD student, you will become an integral member of a growing research group and contribute to an exciting programme in developmental genome biology.

Your responsibilities will include:

• 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.
• 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
• Designing and carrying out an independent research project under supervision.
• Learning and applying modern molecular, cellular and genomic techniques.
• Working with mammalian cell culture, genome engineering and embryology.
• Analysing and interpreting experimental data.
• Collaborating with researchers across the Department and with international collaborators.

PhD Programme Description: The PhD programme is a three-year full-time research education within the framework of the 5+3 scheme, intended for candidates holding a relevant academic degree within the project's subject area (e.g., Biology, embryology, genetics, biomedicine etc).

Qualifications: If you have completed your academic education in Denmark, the admission to the PhD programme requires a relevant Master's degree (equivalent to 180 ECTS BSc + 120 ECTS MSc).

If you have an academic education from abroad, you must have either a degree equivalent to a Danish master's degree (180 ETCS + 120 ECTS MSc), or at a minimum, a bachelor's degree equivalent to a Danish bachelor's degree (180 ECTS) and be academically qualified at master's level.

As part of the assessment of whether you meet the educational requirements, you must also achieve a positive academic evaluation and be assessed as the best qualified for the position.

Other important criteria are:

• The grade point average achieved
• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Previous publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other professional activities
• A curious mind-set with a strong interest in developmental biology.
• Language skills
• Genuine enthusiasm for experimental research and scientific discovery.
• Practical laboratory experience in molecular or cellular biology.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Experience with one or more of the following is advantageous, but not essential, as full training will be provided:

• Mammalian cell culture.
• CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering.
• Fluorescence microscopy.
• Next-generation sequencing.
• Bioinformatics.
• Mouse models or embryology.

Above all, we are looking for a curious, motivated researcher who enjoys solving challenging biological problems and is eager to learn new techniques.

Place of employment

The place of employment is at the Department for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. The successful candidate will join a newly established research group at an exciting stage of its development, with the opportunity to help shape its scientific direction. You will receive close mentorship, broad technical training and opportunities to build an international research network.

The Department provides a vibrant and interdisciplinary research environment with excellent core facilities, including advanced microscopy, transgenic animal services, embryo manipulation platforms and integrated single-cell genomics. You will work alongside researchers studying chromosome biology, developmental biology, stem cells and reproductive medicine, creating many opportunities for collaboration.

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 1st April 2027 or thereafter.

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 formulated by the applicant.

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 31.800 DKK/Roughly 4250 EUR (August 2026 level) plus 18,07% 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/