PhD fellowship in canine clinical immunethrombocytopenia at the Veterinary Clinical Pathology group

We are offering a Ph.D. fellowship in clinical immune thrombocytopenia at the Veterinary Clinical Pathology group to commence 1st of june 2025 (or as soon as possible hereafter)

Our group and research

The Veterinary Clinical Pathology research group performs research in all aspects of veterinary clinical pathology but has a focus on understanding and developing diagnostic biomarkers within inflammation, hemostasis, and validation of assays for predictive biomarkers in a range of species. The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (https://vetdiagnostik.ku.dk/) is part of the Section for Clinical Practice and Diagnostics in Companion Animals and the research group for Veterinary Clinical Pathology, at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

The group is responsible for both lectures, classroom teaching and small group teaching of 4th and final year students, provides a diagnostic and advisory service and continuous professional education seminars for veterinarians in general practice as well as teaching within an international professional postgraduate master programme within companion animal clinical sciences (www.cacs.ku.dk).

The veterinary clinical pathology research group is a part of the Section for Clinical Practice and Diagnostics in Companion Animals. The section holds clinical teaching and service obligations within companion animal general practice (medicine and surgery), internal and critical care medicine, anesthesiology, didactics, dermatology and veterinary clinical pathology and collaborates across fields both within the department but also nationally and internationally.

Project description

We are seeking a highly motivated and promising Ph.D. candidate to join our research team. We have a long track record in performing hemostasis research in different veterinary species using a variety of novel techniques to gain more pathophysiological insight in hemostatic dysfunction triggered by concurrent chronic diseases, validate new assays in veterinary species and assist in more veterinary precision medicine targeted therapeutic regiments. All with the view to improve the health and quality of lives for our veterinary patients.

The current project involves characterization and understanding of the cellular immune response and inflammatory pattern in associative and non-associative immune thrombocytopenia in dogs. In the study, the candidate will become proficient in using and interpreting different laboratory analyses such as flow cytometry, ELISA and immunoturbidimetric assays.

As a PhD student in our group, you will be responsible for devising a research protocol, recruiting appropriate patients samples, gather phenotypic patient characterization, develop, and apply advanced analyses and perform statistical analysis, interpretation of results, writing manuscripts for publication and scientific applications, communicating our scientific results and engaging with collaborators.

Principal supervisor: Lise Nikolic Nielsen

Start: 1st of June 2025

End: 3 years as a Ph.D. student

Job description

Your key tasks as a Ph.D. fellow in the Veterinary Clinical Pathology group is

• Preparation of your own scientific project with data analysis and writing of manuscripts in collaboration with your colleagues in the research group.
• Recruitment of samples from canine patients eligible for the project
• Development of an antiplatelet antibody flow cytometry assay, handling of biological samples, collaboration with clinicians regarding phenotypic characterization of relevant canine patients.
• Participation in teaching and clinical diagnostic service.

Your key tasks as a Ph.D. fellow at the SUND Faculty are:

• Carrying through an independent research project under supervision.
• Completing Ph.D. courses or other equivalent education corresponding to approximately 30 ECTS points.
• Participating in active research environments including an international stay at another research institution.
• Obtaining experience with teaching or other types of dissemination related to your PhD project
• Obtaining experience with the clinical pathology diagnostic service to identify potential research material for your Ph.D. project
• Teaching and disseminating your knowledge.
• Writing a Ph.D. thesis on the grounds of your project

Profile

We are seeking an open-minded, enthusiastic candidate, who synergistically enjoy the scientific aspects and the clinical and practical aspects of research.

You

• Are interested in clinical research within veterinary clinical pathology, preferably in the subject of indicators of immunology and hemostasis and might be able to see yourself working within veterinary clinical pathology in the future
• A team player with both an independent and collaborative mind-set
• Enjoy writing and presenting research and research based teaching
• Are interested in working in a veterinary clinical pathology environment, which also involves training and participating in the Veterinary cytology service in the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

Requirements

• An academic veterinary degree or equivalent. Please note that your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (BSc 3 years + MSc 2 years)
• You should either have Danish Veterinary Authorization or have a veterinary degree, which allow for a Danish Veterinary License within six months after commencing the PhD studies
• Basic understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of hemostasis and immunological diseases
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral; proficient in English and preferable in Danish as well
• Strong scientific and analytical skills and the drive to work independently
• Preferable clinical experience with haemostasis patients
• It is an advantage to be either board eligible or certified in Veterinary Clinical Pathology
• Experience with clinical research and flow cytometry is a distinct advantage, but not a requirement

Place of employment

The place of employment is at the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Frederiksberg, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. The department covers strong and internationally recognized research areas in clinical veterinary sciences and Veterinary Science at the University of Copenhagen has a high international ranking (14 in the world by QS World University ranking, 2024). We want to set a new standard for cross-disciplinary research, education and innovation within animal health. The culture of the department is typical Scandinavian with a flat structure and a tradition for close collaboration where all employees are expecting openness, mutual respect and sharing of ideas.

Information about the department can be found here (https://ikv.ku.dk/english/)

Terms of employment


The employment as a PhD student is full time and a fixed-term position for 3 years. The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

Starting date is June 1st, 2025, or after agreement.

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 30,716 DKK/Roughly 4,117.59 EUR (April 2024 level) plus pension.

Questions


For further questions about the job description and qualifications for the positions please contact Professor (mso) Lise Nikolic Nielsen, E-mail: [email protected] TEL: +45 35332907.

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, publications, abstracts, conferences, contact details for at least two references, and other skills relevant for the position.

3. Documentation of degree 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/?set_language=en. Please note that we might ask you to obtain an assessment of your education performed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science

4. Documentation of other relevant postgraduate degrees if available

Application deadline: Thursday 20th of February 2025 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: https://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.

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



Contact: Lise Nikolic Nielsen

E-mail: [email protected]

Application deadline

Start of employment: 01-06-2025 or after agreement.

Working hours: Full time

Location: Veterinary Clinical Pathology and The veterinary Diagnostic laboratory, Dyrlaegevej 46, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark