PhD position in epigenetics at the K.G Jebsen Centre of Obesity Research (CORA)

About the position

Applications are invited for a 3-year position as PhD student in epigenetics and obesity research at the newly established K.G Jebsen Centre of Obesity ReseArch (CORA). The position will be affiliated to Yvonne Böttcher’s research group at the Department of Clinical Molecular Biology (EpiGen) at Institute of Clinical Medicine, UiO, physically located at Campus Ahus (Akershus University Hospital).

The project aims at investigating molecular mechanisms underlying weight regain and long-term weight loss maintenance using advanced molecular biology techniques. In particular, the project will investigate amongst others the concept of epigenetic memory of obesity in humans and closely collaborate with clinical environments involved in treatment of obesity

The applicant will be involved in tasks related to epigenetic and epitranscriptomic mechanisms potentially being implicated in the regulation of human body weight and adipose tissue biology in general. The PhD project aims at investigating molecular mechanisms underlying weight regain and maintenance using advanced molecular biology techniques.

Project description

Obesity is a growing health problem worldwide. Metabolic surgery or use of GLP-1R analoga are efficient methods to induce significant weight loss in individuals with obesity. However, many individuals struggle to maintain healthier body weight and often suffer from regain weight after treatment. The newly established K.G. Jebsen Center for obesity research (CORA), lead by Prof. Yvonne Böttcher, aims to understand the biological mechanisms underlying weight regain and obesity relapse, identify individuals at risk, and develop strategies for sustained weight loss and long-term weight maintenance.

Yvonne Böttcher’ s research group (https://functionalgeneticsofobesity.wordpress.com/) is investigating the role of epigenetic mechanisms in obesity, the molecular mechanisms imposed by DNA, RNA and histone modifications and their potential interplay with genetic risk variants. In CORA, the group will also focus, amongst others, on the role of epigenetic memory in adipose tissue after weight loss.

The project aims at investigating mechanisms involved in metabolic memory in human adipose tissue and weight re-gain after weight loss in humans. The candidate will be closely involved in collaborations with excellent clinical environments in Norway and abroad. The successful applicant will work amongst others on human biomaterial and cell culture models to better understand the potential epigenetic mechanisms involved in long-term weight trajectories. The PhD candidate will be involved in identifying novel epigenetic biomarkers of weight regain using primary adipose tissue derived from ongoing clinical collaborations and advanced molecular biology techniques such as single-cell, next generation sequencing and multi-omics technologies.

The position will require large degree of interdisciplinary collaboration within CORA.

Your areas of responsibility will be

• Work on scientific projects related epigenetic mechanísms and weight regulation
• Closely collaborate within the research group, the center and clinical environments important for the center
• Contribute to th reserarch environments of the research group and the whole center
• Contribute to and exchange knowledge in the K. G. Jebsen Academy for Young Scientists
• Be updated on the latest literature in the field
• Contribute actively to seminars, discussion, presentations, conferences etc.

We offer / We can offer you / Why should you choose us?

• A stimulating work environment at a high scientific level at CORA, with possibilities for extensive cross-disciplinary collaborations and career development.
• Excellent laboratory facilities at EpiGen.
• Exciting and meaningful tasks in an organization with an important societal mission, contributing to knowledge development, education, and enlightenment that promote sustainable, fair, and knowledge-based societal development.
• Good welfare schemes.
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours.
• A workplace with good development and career opportunities.
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Salary in position as Doctoral Research Fellow, position code 1017 in salary range NOK from 550 800 to 600 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.

Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.

Application

Your application should include:

• Application letter
• CV
• A complete list of publications
• Transcripts and certificates
• Contact information for 2-3 references

Your CV must be entered in Jobbnorge’s CV form and cannot be submitted only as an attachment. This requirement is intended to ensure correct documentation and record-keeping in accordance with the Public Administration Act, Section 15.

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for this job".

When applying for the position, we ask you to retrieve your education results from Vitnemålsportalen.no. If your education results are not available through Vitnemålsportalen, we ask you to upload copies of your transcripts or grades. Please note that all documentation must be in English or a Scandinavian language.