Ph.D. student position at Department of Clinical Immunology, Zealand University Hospital, Zealand Region

We have a fully funded position as Ph.D. fellow available from 2025-02-01 for a 3-year study on epidemiology and genetics of loneliness. The position is funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF).

The position is temporary and runs for 36 months. The position entails 37 hours of work per week. The position is at the Department of Clinical Immunology, Næstved Hospital. However, in 2025 we will move the department and research to Zealand University Hospital, Køge. The student will be enrolled at a Ph.D. school at the Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

The research will aim at determining:

• Genetic factors involved in experienced loneliness using genome wide association meta-analysis workflows across several cohorts.
• Epidemiology of loneliness and loneliness disease trajectories including questionnaire and registry data as well as polygenic scores.

The Ph.D. fellow is free to decide on and pursue specific research angles within the scope of this overall project.

The genetic studies will be performed in collaboration with deCODE Genetics, Iceland and it is expected that the Ph.D. fellow will visit deCODE genetics for a period of 6-12 months for in depth genetic studies.

The Ph.D. fellow will be responsible for managing the project, statistical genetic analyses, as well as epidemiological and system biology analyses. In addition, the Ph.D fellow will be responsible for disseminating the scientific work both at conferences and in peer-reviewed scientific articles. Finally, the Ph.D. fellow will have to attend Ph.D. courses as required by University of Copenhagen.

The research environment in which the project will be performed is diverse and inspiring as it comprises a mix of medical doctors, epidemiologists, statistical geneticists, and bioinformaticians. The project will be co-supervised by Trine Flensborg Madsen, Professor at SIF, University of Southern Denmark, Andrew Joseph Schork, Associate Professor at Institute for Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Center Sct. Hans, Sisse Rye Ostrowski, Professor at Department of Clinical Immunology, Rigshospitalet, Maria Didriksen, postdoctoral researcher at Department of Clinical Immunology, Rigshospitalet, Lea Arregui Nordahl Christoffersen, postdoctoral researcher at Department of Clinical Immunology, Zealand University Hospital, and Liam Quinn, postdoctoral researcher at Department of Clinical Immunology, Zealand University Hospital. The main supervisor will be Ole Birger Vesterager Pedersen, Professor at Department of Clinical Immunology, Zealand University Hospital.

We are looking for a candidate with the following qualifications:

• Experience with epidemiology, genetics or bioinformatics
• Experience with writing scientific articles

Your education and background:

• Mater’s degree in medicine, public health, bioinformatics or similar
• Excellent collaborative skills
• A positive and motivating attitude
• Diligence and intellectual flexibility as required for an academic position
• An open and positive mind that actively contributes to the infrastructure and the success of the research team

We offer you

- A position in a large organisation with around 120 employees.

- A workplace with a good work environment.

- A growing, international recognized research environment within epidemiology, genetics, psychiatry and clinical immunology.

- Highly qualified mentors/supervisors

- An active research environment with five postdoctoral researchers and close collaborations with >50 researchers from all parts of the world.

Om os

Den 1. januar 2024 fusionerede Sjællands Universitetshospital (SUH) med Nykøbing F. Sygehus (NFS). Som et af Danmarks største akutsygehuse driver og udvikler vi sygehusene i Køge, Roskilde og Nykøbing F. Vi har aktivitet på alle regionens sygehuse, og vi betjener alle regionens patienter med specialiserede sundhedsydelser samt tilbyder sundhedsydelser inden for 32 forskellige lægelige specialer.

Som Danmarks seneste universitetshospital søger vi at omdefinere tilgangen til, hvordan sundhedsfaglige ydelser leveres i regionen. Vi stræber efter at sikre lige sundhedstilbud for alle. Med øget fokus på uddannelse, forskning og innovation arbejder vi ud fra tankesættet om at bygge bro over afstande, etablere tværfaglige fællesskaber og bringe specialiseret behandling tættere på borgerne.

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