Application Deadline: Sunday, 17 May 2026, 23.59 p.m. CET.
LOCATION: Denmark
The University of Copenhagen is offering a Marie Curie PhD fellowship in stem cell biology commencing September 1st, 2026. The research aims at understanding the role of dysfunctions in lipid homeostasis in the emergence of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. The selected PhD candidate will participate in the EU-funded HORIZON-MSCA-DN-2024-01 project LipAgg. The doctoral candidate will be enrolled at the University of Copenhagen under the supervision of Associate Professor Céline Galvagnion. The project includes a 7-month secondment at Uppsala University under the supervision of Professor Anna Erlandsson, as well as a 1-month secondment in the Danish Parkinson Foundation.
ELIGIBILITY:
The ideal candidate for this position is a highly motivated and talented researcher holding a master’s degree (MSc or equivalent) in a field relevant to the position, e.g. stem cell biology, neuroscience, biochemistry. A solid background or keen interest in stem cell biology is highly desirable. The ideal candidate should be enthusiastic about tackling new scientific challenges and demonstrate strong motivation, persistence, and a results-oriented mindset. The candidate should be able to work effectively both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team.
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are essential. Strong organisational and planning abilities are also required.
Qualifications: If you have completed your academic education in Denmark, admission to the PhD programme requires a relevant master’s degree (equivalent to 180 ECTS BSc + 120 ECTS MSc).
If you have an academic education from abroad, you must have a degree equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (120 ECTS MSc).
As part of the assessment of whether you meet the educational requirements, you must also achieve a positive academic evaluation and be assessed as the best qualified for the position.
Applicants will also be required to meet the European Commission’s MSCA Doctoral Network eligibility criteria, notably:
Mobility Rule – Applicants can be of any nationality and must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Denmark for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the start of their employment at UCPH. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not considered.
Doctoral Candidate requirement – the applicant must not be in possession of a doctoral degree on the first day of employment. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet been awarded the doctoral degree are not eligible.
Doctoral Candidate requirement – the applicant must be, at the date of recruitment, formally admitted to a PhD programme leading to the award of a degree in at least one EU Member State or Horizon Europe-associated country. For that purpose, candidates must meet the national requirements for doctoral enrollment in the host country. Proof of admission must be provided prior to the start of the contract.
Be working exclusively for the action.
BENEFIT:
Salary, pension, and terms of employment are in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State.
Depending on seniority, the monthly gross salary begins around DKK 31,424 / approx. EUR 4,193 (1 November 2025 level) plus an employer-paid pension contribution.
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.
The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 3 years. The start date is September 1st, 2026.
The employment is conditioned upon the applicant’s successful enrollment 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.
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