Professor in Heart Development and Cardiovascular disease Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
University of Copenhagen


The University seeks to appoint a Professor to the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW) to develop their research, teaching, and outreach programme within heart development and stem cell-based cardiac models for cardiovascular disease.

The workplace
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW is a worldwide consortium with nodes at the University of Copenhagen, Murdoch Children Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia and Leiden University Medical Centre, Netherlands. Researchers within reNEW addresses fundamental questions in stem cell biology and translate research findings to products that will help patients with incurable disorders such as congenital kidney disorders, diabetes, heart defects, neurological disorders, chronic ulcerative conditions, respiratory diseases, bladder defects and infertility.

reNEW Copenhagen is a vibrant, internationally diverse, and ambitious research center with state-of-the-art facilities located at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. The setting is ideally suited for seamless collaboration and exchange with the other reNEW units and the Copenhagen science community.

Job description
Cardiovascular disease is one of the most prevalent causes of death worldwide. Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) differentiation and derivation of organoids have revolutionized human developmental biology and opened new avenues to regenerative medicine. However, we are still far from having human cardiac models that allow the development of therapies and predict responses in patients.

As a professor in heart development and cardiovascular disease, you will lead an international competitive research programme within reNEW that address fundamental research questions and provide a compelling vision for how this research can be translated into applications in stem cell medicine. The professor is expected to collaborate with existing research groups at reNEW and have a proven record of translational and interdisciplinary research with industrial partners.

When considering applications for the professorship, the main emphasis will be on the applicant's ability to document a high level of original scientific work at an international level within heart development and stem cell-based cardiac models for cardiovascular disease.

The professor’s responsibilities will primarily consist of:

• Research, including publication/academic dissemination
• Research-based teaching, including associated examination
• Research leadership, including guidance and supervision of researchers
• Obligation to share knowledge with the rest of society, including participation in public debate
• Academic assessments

Required qualifications
Six overall criteria apply for professor appointments at the University of Copenhagen. The six criteria (research, teaching, societal impact, organisational contribution, external funding and leadership) are considered a framework for the overall assessment of candidates. Find information about each criterion here: employment.ku.dk/faculty/criteria-for-recognising-merit.

Furthermore, each applicant must be able to:

• Document a high degree of original academic production at an international level, including considerable contributions to the development of the academic discipline
• Manage research and other management functions, e.g. engage in the university’s external academic activities, as well as knowledge and technology transfer
• Provide research-based teaching

The professor is also required to possess good interpersonal and communicative skills.


Terms of employment
The position is open-ended, and employment is planned to start 1 June 2025, or after agreement

The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

Salary and other terms and conditions of appointment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant professional organisation.

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.

Questions
For further information, please contact Executive Director for the Copenhagen Node, Kim B. Jensen ([email protected]), renew.ku.dk and www.sund.ku.dk.

Foreign applicants may find this link useful: ism.ku.dk https://www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility).

Application
The application must be submitted in English and must include the following documents:

• Cover letter, including motivation for applying for this position
• Research plan – description of current and future research plans
• Curriculum vitae, including information about external funding
• Diplomas (Master’s, PhD and other relevant certificates)
• A complete list of publications
• Uploads of maximum 10 publications to be considered in the assessment
• Teaching portfolio (Guidelines: employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/job-application-portfolio))

Application procedure
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Appointments Committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment. The Dean then appoints an expert assessment committee to assess the selected applicants for the specific post. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee and each applicant can comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.
You can read about the recruitment process at employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process.

Please note that the applicant will be contacted if the assessment committee requires further documentation.

The applicant 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 encourages all interested applicants to apply for this position.

Please submit the application with the required attachments. Only online applications will be accepted. The closing date for applications is 23.59 p.m. CET, Wednesday, 16 December 2024.