PhD fellowship in Metabolic Control of Glucose Utilization and Homeostasis

About the role

The University of Copenhagen is seeking a highly motivated and talented PhD fellow to commence November 15, 2026, or after agreement, in the Sakamoto Group at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR), University of Copenhagen.

Project Description

Maintenance of energy and glucose homeostasis is essential for metabolic health. Our group has previously shown that glucose utilization in skeletal muscle and liver is governed by coordinated regulation through reversible phosphorylation and allosteric control, using novel knock-in mouse models expressing metabolic enzymes carrying phospho-deficient or allosteric modulator-binding-deficient mutations. This project will focus on defining how glucose phosphorylation by hexokinase 2, together with its allosteric negative feedback regulation, controls skeletal muscle glucose flux and utilization in vivo, and how this contributes to whole-body glucose homeostasis under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions.

Job Description

• Carrying through an independent research project under supervision.
• Completing PhD courses or other equivalent education corresponding to approximately 30 ECTS points.
• Participating in active research environments including a stay at another research team.
• Obtaining experience with teaching or other types of dissemination related to your PhD project.
• Writing a PhD thesis on the grounds of your project.

Key criteria for the assessment of applicants

• Qualifications corresponding to a master’s degree related to the subject area of the project, e.g. biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, molecular biomedicine.
• Hands-on experience in performing cell culture experiments (e.g. transfection/gene editing, drug treatment), biochemical/metabolic analysis (e.g. enzyme assays, metabolomics) and cell signaling (e.g. Western blotting, proteomics).
• Hands-on experience in conducting in vivo preclinical studies and metabolic phenotyping (FELASA certified or similar).
• Able to manage and analyze complex data sets.
• A curious and critical mindset with strong self-motivation to develop new knowledge and treatment for complex cardiometabolic diseases.
• Able to work independently and work as a team player.
• Excellent English communication skills, both written and oral.

Place of employment

The place of employment is at Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Maersk Tower, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen.

Terms of employment

• The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.
• The position as PhD student is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 3 years.
• The start date is November 15, 2026, or after agreement.
• The employment is conditioned upon the applicant’s successful enrolment as a PhD student at the Graduate School at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

Contact

• For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact Professor Kei Sakamoto (kei.sakamoto@sund.ku.dk) or Marianne Jensen PhD (marianne.jensen@sund.ku.dk).
• For questions regarding the recruitment procedure, please contact SUND HR CBMR at hr-cbmr@adm.ku.dk.