PhD fellowship in Pituitary Adenomas & Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs)

We are seeking a highly motivated candidate for a 3 year PhD fellowship at Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine at Herlev Hospital for a project investigating pituitary adenoma growth and its potential link to human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). The project integrates clinical research, exosome purification, molecular biology, and bioinformatics to develop innovative, non-invasive diagnostic methods.

The candidate should have qualifications in one or more of these research disciplines.

Start date is August 1, 2025 or as agreed.

The Project

Pituitary adenomas are among the most common brain tumors, with significant health impacts due to hormonal imbalances and risk of compression of the optic nerves. However, their growth mechanisms remain poorly understood.

To address this, we have recently established a scientific collaboration with University of Co-penhagen, Department of Neurosurgery at Rigshospitalet and the Pituitary Clinic at Zealand University Hospital in Køge to investigate the impact of HERVs on tumorigenesis and senes-cence in pituitary adenomas.

Our goal is to establish a liquid biopsy approach by analyzing HERV transcripts in pituitary-derived exosomes. This will involve:

• Developing and implementing a pituitary exosome purification method at University of Copenhagen and later method transfer to Herlev hospital.
• Leading a clinical trial to study HERV expression in pituitary adenoma tissue and exo-somes.
• Performing targeted RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses in collaboration with department of virology, University of Cagliary, to assess tumor behavior and potential biomarkers.

This project combines molecular biology, bioinformatics, and endocrinology, offering a unique opportunity to advance non-invasive diagnostics and personalized treatment strategies for pituitary adenomas.

Your Role

You will be responsible for:

• Establishing pituitary exosome purification in the clinical lab at Herlev hospital.
• Overseeing patient recruitment and clinical sample collection and clinical sample flow.
• Conducting exosome isolation, molecular analyses, and sequencing.
• Collaborating on bioinformatic interpretation and future studies.

Your Profile

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic candidate who either has or is interested in being trained in clinical studies, immunochemical purification methods, molecular biology diagnostics and sequence analysis.

Qualifications that will be prioritized:

• Master in Medicine or Biomedical Sciences.
• Clinical sample handling experience.
• Molecular biological diagnostics experience.
• Cell culture and immunochemical purification techniques.
• Sequence analysis including next generation sequencing.
• Scientific publication record.
• Strong oral and written English and Danish communication skills.

Candidates will be prioritized based on the depth of their expertise and the number of qualifica-tions they meet.

About Us

Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine includes a specialized endocrinology clinic, an inpatient unit, and a dedicated endocrine translational research facility, fostering a collaborative and innovative setting for advancing research in endocrine disorders.

You will be affiliated with the translational research facility and the endocrine clinic, as well as working in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen offering a dynamic research setting that integrates molecular and clinical approaches to endocrinology.

Application Details

• Your application must include the following documents/attachments:
• Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Documentation of education and relevant qualifications
• List of publications

Please note that this position is intended for either a PhD fellow or postdoctoral researcher (posted in a separate job announcement) and will be filled by only one candidate.

Application Deadline: May 31, 2025

Applications will be reviewed continuously, and interviews will be planned as soon as a suita-ble candidate is identified.

For further information please contact senior consultant endocrinologist Randi Ugleholdt. Email: [email protected], phone: +45 38687190