PhD fellowship in integrative genomics of early cardiometabolic dysfunction Full-time NEW

PhD Fellow Position at the University of Copenhagen

The University of Copenhagen is seeking a highly motivated and talented PhD fellow to commence December 1, 2026, or after agreement in the Merino Group at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR), University of Copenhagen.

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.

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 Merino Group studies the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the earliest stages of cardiometabolic disease, with a particular focus on understanding why individuals differ in their susceptibility to dysglycemia, type 2 diabetes, and related complications. A central goal of the group is to move beyond traditional disease classifications and develop a mechanistic understanding of early metabolic dysfunction. To achieve this, we integrate data across multiple biological scales, from genetic variation and single-cell molecular profiles to clinical phenotypes collected in deeply characterized human cohorts.

The group is embedded within CBMR's highly interdisciplinary environment and collaborates extensively with leading researchers across Europe and North America. Current projects involve large-scale population cohorts, single-cell genomics, statistical genetics, functional genomics, machine learning, and clinical translation. We are a diverse and international team that values scientific excellence, collaboration, openness, and mutual support. We strive to create an inclusive environment where researchers at all career stages can develop independently while benefiting from close mentorship and teamwork.

Project Description

Cardiometabolic diseases often develop silently over decades before clinical diagnosis, yet the molecular mechanisms linking inherited genetic susceptibility to early metabolic dysfunction remain poorly understood. Recent advances in human genetics, single-cell genomics, and functional genomics provide unprecedented opportunities to identify the cellular and molecular pathways through which genetic variation influences disease risk.

This PhD project aims to uncover the cell-type-specific mechanisms through which genetic variation contributes to insulin resistance and early glycaemic deterioration. By integrating large-scale genetic studies with epigenomic, transcriptomic, and single-cell datasets, the project seeks to bridge the gap between disease-associated genetic variants and the biological processes they influence. The successful candidate will leverage unique resources available through the Merino Group and its international collaborators, including large-scale genome-wide association studies, single-cell RNA sequencing datasets, epigenomic maps, and deeply phenotyped human cohorts.

Specific research objectives may include:

• Identifying genetic variants and genes associated with early cardiometabolic dysfunction.
• Integrating GWAS, transcriptomic, epigenomic, and single-cell datasets to prioritize causal genes and pathways.
• Characterizing cell-type-specific mechanisms linking genetic variation to insulin resistance and glucose dysregulation.
• Developing computational approaches for multi-omics integration and disease gene prioritization.
• Contributing to the translation of genetic discoveries into biological insight and precision prevention strategies.

Your tasks will include data analysis, method development, interpretation of multi-omics datasets, presentation of results at international conferences, and preparation of scientific manuscripts.

Principal supervisor: Associate Professor Jordi Merino at jordi.merino@sund.ku.dk

Start: December 1, 2026

Duration: 3 years as PhD fellow

Profile

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with a strong interest in human genetics, computational biology, and cardiometabolic disease mechanisms.

Required qualifications:

• A Master's degree in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biomedicine, Biology, Biochemistry, Data Science, or a related discipline.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Strong quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and international research environment.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with human genetics, statistical genetics, or computational genomics.
• Experience analysing transcriptomic, epigenomic, single-cell, or other omics data.
• Programming experience in R and/or Python, as well as familiarity with Unix/Linux-based computational environments and reproducible research workflows.
• Interest in integrating genetic and molecular data to understand disease mechanisms.
• Previous research experience demonstrated through research projects, conference presentations, publications, or other scholarly activities.
• Experience with machine learning is considered an advantage but is not required.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates who are excited about bridging computational and biological sciences and who are motivated to translate large-scale genomic data into meaningful biological and clinical insights.

Terms of Employment

The employment consists of 3 years as PhD fellow. Starting date is December 1, 2026, or after agreement.

The employment as PhD fellow 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 Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State.

When you will be affiliated with the University of Copenhagen or otherwise have access to their research, you may be required to undergo a background screening. The purpose is to protect the security and research integrity of the University of Copenhagen.

Questions

For further information about the position, please contact Associate Professor Jordi Merino at jordi.merino@sund.ku.dk. For questions regarding the recruitment procedure, please contact HR at hr-cbmr@adm.ku.dk.

General information about PhD studies at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences is available at the Graduate School's website.

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:

• Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
• CV incl. education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant to the position
• Certified copy of original Master's diploma 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.
• List of publications
• References (name and contact details of at least two references)

Application Deadline: 16 August 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. 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.