Postdoctoral fellowship to develop micro-physiological 3D liver models
Job description
A two-year postdoctoral research fellowship is available at the Hybrid Technology Hub – Centre of Excellence, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway (https://www.med.uio.no/hth/english/) in collaboration with the Department of Transplantation Medicine at the Oslo University Hospital. The recruited candidate will work with an interdisciplinary team on developing and testing female patient-derived liver spheroids with the aim of identifying age and patient specific response differences to stressors.
The postdoctoral fellow will work on establishing a human donor derived liver spheroid platform. The fellow will then establish a series of qualitative and functional assays, including scRNAseq. Next the liver spheroid platform will be exposed to stressors and donor specific alterations will be recorded. The position will enter a well-established interdisciplinary team that includes an organ-on-chip platform designer, an expert on liver organoids, a technician working on patient derived liver spheroids, transplant physicians, surgeons and sequencing/sequence analysis experts.
It is important that the candidate is comfortable with a highly dynamic work environment that must deliver milestones within the agreed timeframe. It is essential that the candidate can cope with flexible working hours as human material from the clinical transplant activity – which the liver spheroids are established from – may arrive on evenings or weekends. In return we offer an exciting opportunity to work at the forefront in science in a world-leading, international research environment see: https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202303785 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667237523000553?via%3Dihub with the opportunity to travel to the project collaborators at the University of Tubingen and at the Welcome Sanger Institute.
About the project
The position is part of the newly established Wellcome Leap funded interdisciplinary project “Female resilience on-chip: Monitoring dynamic resilience using Multi-Organ-Chips” with partners at the University of Tubingen and the Welcome Sanger Institute.
In the frame of this project, the work for the announced position aims to i) develop patient specific liver 3D models (spheroids) from donor material; ii) apply a series of readouts that allow monitoring of the liver 3D models over time with a particular focus on inflammatory cytokines and regenerative potential; iii) interrogate the liver 3D models with a battery of stressors and look for differential response, and iv) benchmark the obtained data with the human in vivo situation.
The main purpose of the fellowship is to qualify researchers for work in higher academic positions within their disciplines.
Qualification requirements
- A PhD degree or equivalent in cell biology, molecular biology or equal. The applicant is required to document that the degree corresponds to the profile for the position.
- Substantial cell culture experience including handling of human primary cells.
- Good knowledge of, and experience with, molecular biology methods and imaging techniques.
- Expertise in 3D cell models is an advantage.
- Expertise in micro-physiological systems is an advantage.
- Expertise in advanced -omics such as RNA seq data analysis is an advantage.
- Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
- Personal suitability and motivation for the position.
Desired skills
The doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation by the application deadline. The appointment is dependent on the public defence of the doctoral thesis being approved.
In the evaluation of the applications, emphasis will be placed on:
● The applicant’s academic qualifications.
● The applicant’s estimated academic and personal ability to carry out the project within the contractual time frame.
● Demonstrated ability to design and execute experiments and interpret, report, and troubleshoot complex data.
● The applicant’s skills to work in a team within and across disciplines.
We offer
- Salary NOK 575 400 – 635 400 per annum depending on qualifications in position as Postdoctoral Research Fellow (position code 1352).
- A well established, inspiring, interdisciplinary, and friendly work environment with strong mentoring.
- National and international collaborators.
- Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement, in addition to Oslo’s family-friendly environment with its rich in opportunities for culture and outdoor activities.
How to apply
The application must include:
- Cover letter statement of motivation and research interests.
- CV (summarizing education, positions, and academic work).
- Copies of educational certificates (academic transcripts only).
- A complete list of publications and academic works.
- List of at least two reference persons (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and phone number).
- Letters of recommendation (optional).
The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “apply for this job”. Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University’s grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language). When evaluating the application, emphasis will be given to the applicant’s academic and personal prerequisites to carry out the project. Applicants may be called in for an interview.
Formal regulations
Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Oslo.
No one can be appointed for more than one Postdoctoral Fellow period at the University of Oslo.
According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.
Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.
If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.
Contact information
Centre director Prof. Stefan Krauss, Stefan.krauss@medisin.uio.no
Centre PI Prof. Espen Melum, espen.melum@medisin.uio.no
Dr. Aleksandra Aizenshtadt, aleksandra.aizenshtadt@medisin.uio.no
Administrative coordinator Dr. Petter A Olsen peteraol@medisin.uio.no
About the University of Oslo
The University of Oslo is Norway’s oldest and highest ranked educational and research institution, with 28 000 students and 7000 employees. With its broad range of academic disciplines and internationally recognised research communities, UiO is an important contributor to society.
The Institute of Basic Medical Sciences overall objective is to promote basic medical knowledge in order to understand normal processes, provide insight into mechanisms that cause illness, and promote good health. The Institute is responsible for teaching in basic medical sciences for the programmes of professional study in medicine and the Master’s programme in clinical nutrition. The Institute has more than 300 employees and is located in Domus Medica.
Deadline: 2024-03-01 at 23:59
Unit: Health/Life sciences
Read the job description at the university homepage or apply.