Scientist in the Brickman Lab at Department of Biomedical Sciences Full-time

Scientist Position at reNEW, University of Copenhagen

We are looking for a highly motivated and dynamic scientist for a 2.5-year position at reNEW, in the Brickman lab within the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, to commence on 01.09.26.

Our research: The Brickman group is interested in the transcriptional basis for cell fate choice, exploring both fundamental mechanisms of transcriptional regulation by signaling and how gene regulatory networks define cell potency and fate in development and differentiation. We focus principally on pluripotent stem cells and their differentiation to various types of endoderm as a model system, both embryonic and extra-embryonic. Our recent work points to new paradigms for how transcription factors regulate enhancer potential and interpret signaling, including the finding that response to MAP kinase (ERK) signaling, plasticity and regeneration in early development is dependent on transcription factor occupancy. This project will explore how enhancers are activated to regulate embryo regeneration and how transcriptional memory is encoded.

Job description: We are looking for positions that will focus on different aspects enhancer function and regulation, the interface with signaling and how they are influenced by the cell cycle. As a post doc in the Brickman lab, you will be working in a field of stem cell and molecular biology. You will be part of an international interdisciplinary team of scientists focusing on understanding enhancer regulation, gene regulatory networks and exploiting these networks to develop new technologies for cell type specification in vitro. We work with in vivo and in vitro systems in both mouse and human. For this project, you will work with stem cell-based embryo models, mouse embryos and perform extensive molecular enhancers. You will perform next generation sequencing approaches, imaging and exploit the labs computational models for early development.

Select recent references:

Proks M. Salehin N. & Brickman JM. Deep learning-based models for preimplantation mouse and human embryos based on single-cell RNA sequencing. Nature Methods 2025 22, 207–216. Doi: 10.1038/s41592-024-02511-3

Linneberg-Agerholm M, Sell AC, Redó-Riveiro A, Perera P, Proks M, Knudsen TE, Barral A, Manzanares M, Brickman JM. The primitive endoderm supports lineage plasticity to enable regulative development. Cell, 2024. Doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.05.051

Perera M, Brickman JM. Common modes of ERK induction resolve into context-specific signalling via emergent networks and cell-type-specific transcriptional repression. Development. 2024 Nov 1;151(21):dev202842. doi: 10.1242/dev.202842.

Redó-Riveiro A, Al-Mousawi J, Linneberg-Agerholm M, Proks M, Perera M, Salehin N, Brickman JM. Transcription factor co-expression mediates lineage priming for embryonic and extra-embryonic differentiation. Stem Cell Reports. 2024 Feb 13;19(2):174-186. doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.12.002.

Wenger A, Biran A, Alcaraz N, Redó-Riveiro A, Sell AC, Krautz R, Flury V, Reverón-Gómez N, Solis-Mezarino V, Völker-Albert M, Imhof A, Andersson R, Brickman JM, Groth A. Symmetric inheritance of parental histones governs epigenome maintenance and embryonic stem cell identity. Nat Genet. 2023 Sep 55(9):1567-1578. doi: 10.1038/s41588-023-01476-x.

Knudsen TE, Hamilton WB, Proks M, Lykkegaard M, Linneberg-Agerholm M, Nielsen AV, Perera M, Malzard LL, Trusina A, Brickman JM. A bipartite function of ESRRB can integrate signaling over time to balance self-renewal and differentiation. Cell Syst. 2023 Sep 20;14(9):788-805.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.cels.2023.07.008.

Wong YF, Kumar Y, Proks M, Herrera JAR, Rothová MM, Monteiro RS, Pozzi S, Jennings RE, Hanley NA, Bickmore WA, Brickman JM. Expansion of ventral foregut is linked to changes in the enhancer landscape for organ-specific differentiation. Nat Cell Biol. 2023 Mar;25(3):481-492. doi: 10.1038/s41556-022-01075-8.

Hamilton, W.B., Mosesson, Y., Monteiro, R.S., Emdal, K.B., Knudsen, T.E., Francavilla, C., Barkai, N., Olsen, J.V., and Brickman, J.M. (2019). Dynamic Lineage Priming is Driven via Direct Enhancer Regulation by ERK. Nature, 575, 355–360, doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1732-z.

Responsibilities:

• To implement state of the art genomic and proteomic technologies to understand the basis of enhancer activity in embryo regeneration and/or stem cell based embryo models.
• To identify enhancer specific co-factors involved in signaling response and differentiation.
• To exploits molecules targeting enhancer regulators to improve the fidelity of extra-embryonic differentiation
• Will be expected to be competitive for and write independent research fellowships.

Qualifications:

• An equivalent of a PhD in Developmental, Stem Cell or Molecular Biology and/or Bioinformatics.
• Experience with next generation sequencing technologies, ChIP-seq, CUT&RUN, single cell RNA-seq etc.
• Experience with computational analysis of next generation sequencing datasets.
• Experience with embryonic stem cell culture.
• Experience with proteomics or phosphoproteomics.
• Molecular biology, western blots, RT-PCR etc.
• English communication skills, both oral and written are a must.

We offer:

• A stimulating research environment and collaborative work with physicists from Niels Bohr Institute and hospital.
• Usage of state-of-the-art technologies for stem cell research.
• Possibilities for continued education and training.

The role will also include aspects of research dissemination such as research-based teaching.

Profile:

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic scientist with the following competencies and experience:

Essential experience and skills:

• You have a PhD in Biology or similar
• You have extensive experience in 3D culture of epithelial organoids, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, and computational biology.
• You have an active interest in collaborating but also to work independently, you are ambitious, enthusiastic and attentive to details
• Proficient communication skills and ability to work in teams
• Excellent English skills written and spoken

Place of employment:

The place of employment is at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories and access to state-of-the-art facilities and instruments for flow cytometry, imaging, next-generation sequencing and cell engineering.

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 2.5 years. The starting date is 01.09.2026.

Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Currently, the monthly salary starts at 41,300 DKK/approx. 5,