211-0293/24-2K Professor of Human Microbiome and Health

Professor of Human Microbiome and Health
Department of Food Science (UCPH FOOD)
Faculty of Science
University of Copenhagen

and

Copenhagen Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC)
Herlev and Gentofte Hospital


The Department of Food Science at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH FOOD) and Copenhagen Studies of Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC) invites applications for a shared permanent position as Professor in Human Microbiome and Health from 1st of June 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

At UCPH FOOD, we carry out research and education within food science, gut health, consumer science, and technology to help industry and society at large to produce sustainable, palatable, safe, and healthy food, and we combine the latest research and practice in the training of our students. Food is an interdisciplinary area of strength at the University of Copenhagen, and the Department is internationally recognized for excellence in food science research and education, and strong industrial collaboration. We are an international workplace with English as the primary working language.

COPSAC – Dansk BørneAstma Center, Herlev- Gentofte Hospital is a clinical research center focused on clinical translational studies, emphasizing deep clinical long-term observations of mother-child cohorts to understand health outcomes. With a child-centric approach, COPSAC integrates comprehensive early life exposure data, including various omics and host factors, to explore the development of diseases later in life. The overarching ambition of COPSAC is to take our research findings back to preventive strategies in the clinic through randomized clinical trials.

The position is offered to strengthen research in the early life microbiome development in relation to later health with a focus on early life nutrition and other key factors shaping the microbiome and gut health, including interventions aiming at disease prevention through microbiome manipulation.

While the Department of Food Science has a strong research focus on understanding how diet and specific food components influence the human gut microbiome and metabolism, COPSAC has a research focus on the role of early life diet and microbiome in the development, prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases, and this shared position will unite these research scopes. The successful candidate should have experience from a research group with a focus in these disciplines and as such be responsible for creating a translational bridge between basic and clinical science mainly utilizing data originating from clinical birth cohorts with the ambition to take the findings back to clinical application in the form of novel disease preventive or treatment strategies.

The candidate must possess the capacity to assess and comprehend the intricate mechanisms at play during early life, encompassing interactions among the environment, diet, microbiome, and immune system of the child, both in states of health and disease. The overarching objective is to promote health outcomes through this understanding.

Important areas of research include project supervision and specific expertise in:

• Human microbiome establishment
• Early life diet and exposures
• Pediatrics: especially asthma, allergy and eczema related
• Translational cohort research
• Randomized clinical trials

Further documented qualifications are expected within the following areas:

• Ability to develop research project ideas
• A track record for attracting funding
• Supervision of PhD students and postdocs
• Management of research projects involving different partners
• Documented scientific impact in core areas
• Experience with industry-, international- as well as hospital collaboration
• Strong research communicative abilities
• A collaborative and innovative mindset - to think interdisciplinary research and innovation

In addition to the above-mentioned research qualifications, applicants are required to have a relevant PhD degree.

Applicants are required to have university level teaching experience, documented teaching competencies and must be able to explain and reflect upon own teaching practice and portfolio. Formal pedagogical training or supervision equivalent to the University of Copenhagen teacher training program for assistant professors is required.

Duties include the applicant’s own research, development of the field, leading the microbiome group at COPSAC, PhD and postdoc supervision, grant applications, and research management such as supervision and training of research fellows and other staff. The successful applicant must also teach, supervise, prepare, and participate in examinations, and fulfill other tasks requested by the Department of FOOD Science, KU.

Assessment of applicants will primarily consider their level of documented, original scientific production at an international level, including contributions to developments in their field, as well as their documented teaching qualifications. Managerial and out-reach qualifications of applicants including ability to attract external funding will also be considered.

Six overall criteria apply for professor appointments at the University of Copenhagen. The six criteria (research, teaching, societal impact, organizational contribution, external funding and leadership) are considered a framework for an overall assessment of the candidates. Furthermore, each candidate must be assessed according to the specific requirements stated in the job advertisement.
Please read more at https://jobportal.ku.dk/videnskabelige-stillinger/kriterier-for-videnskabelige-stillinger/dokumenter-til-meritering/5c_Criteria_for_recognising_merit_-professors.pdf .

The Professor will be part of the Food Microbiology, Gut Health, and Fermentation section, which offers a well-established up-to-date lab with advanced analytical infrastructure including access to state-of-the-art omics-platforms as well as super-computer access. The section conducts both basic and applied research from the molecular to the production level, and collaborates extensively with the food and ingredient industries as well as public sector research. The section teaches a range of food microbiological topics at the BSc, MSc and PhD level. The section currently consists of 4 full professors, five associate professors and 30+ researchers and technicians.

The Professor will furthermore be part of COPSAC. COPSAC is a clinically based translational research center situated at Gentofte Hospital. 60+ people with various academic educations works jointly in a tight milieu to understand the origin of chronic diseases. Three professors and two associate professors are currently leading the research unit with particular focus on clinical research, microbiome, virome, genetics, and metabolism, respectively. The professor will lead the existing microbiome research group currently counting 8 full-time researchers.

Both research units offer an inspiring and friendly work environment with good colleagues. There is a high degree of freedom and ample opportunity to work interdisciplinary, both internally and externally. Copenhagen is a modern and international city with a high living standard. Foreign applicants may find this link useful: (www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility). Further information on the Department is linked at http://www.science.ku.dk/english/about-the-faculty/organisation/.

Inquiries about the position can be made to Head of Department, Anna Haldrup (+45 9356 5698, [email protected]) or head of research group, Dennis Sandris Nielsen (+45 3533 3287, dn@food.ku.dk). Head of COPSAC research, Klaus Bønnelykke (+45 38677360, [email protected]) or Head of COPSAC administration, Marianne Mikkelsen (+45 38673636, [email protected]).

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Terms of employment
The position is covered by the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff.

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. Negotiation for salary supplement is possible.

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

Please include

• Curriculum vitae including information about external funding
• Diplomas (Master and PhD degree or equivalent)
• Research plan – description of current and future research plans
• Description and documentation of teaching experience and qualifications according to university guidelines
• Complete publication list
• Separate reprints of 5 particularly relevant papers

The deadline for applications is 9 November 2024, 23:59 GMT +1.

After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Interview Committee.

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

Interviews/trial lectures will be held on 14 March 2025.

Please refer to the following no. in future communication in this case: 211-0293/24-2K.