Two Postdoc positions in Brain Cancer Biology : Copenhagen, Denmark

The Helin group at BRIC is looking for two ambitious candidates to join the lab as postdoctoral researchers to work on identifying novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of brain tumors.

Our research 
Research in the Helin lab is focused on identifying novel mechanisms and genes involved in the development of human cancer. The lab has made several outstanding contributions to the field of Epigenetics and Cancer. Current work is focused on understanding the biological function of proteins involved in regulation of histone and DNA methylation and how they contribute to cancer. Moreover, the group has developed several cancer-relevant mouse models that are used both for the understanding of the role of specific proteins in cancer and for the identification of potential novel targets for the development of novel anti-cancer therapies.

The group is using a host of different techniques and model systems to achieve these goals, including loss-of-function screenings, embryonic and adult stem cells, mouse genetics and sophisticated mouse models of human cancer.

Projects 
The selected candidates will work on establishing cellular models of specific brain cancers to performCRISPR-Cas9-based high-throughput screens to identify genes that are essential for brain cancers. Identified hits will be validated in vitro in primary patient material and in vivo in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Validated hits will be characterized biochemically and biologically to be put forth as drug targets and existing and novel drugs will be tested in pre-clinical PDX models.

Start: January 2018 or after agreement 
Duration: 3 years

Qualifications 
We expect you to be a highly motivated and highly ambitious scientist with the following qualifications: 
• A PhD in Life Sciences 
• Strong track-record in molecular cancer biology 
• Documented experience in brain cancer biology, including handling of mouse models and patient-derived cell lines, chromatin biology and/or CRISPR-Cas9 technology will be considered an advantage 
• Excellent English skills, both written and spoken

For further information regarding the position, please contact Prof. Kristian Helin onkristian.helin@bric.ku.dk

Place of employment 
The employment is in the Helin group at BRIC, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories and a number of core facilities shared between the 24 research groups at BRIC and the neighboring Finsen Laboratory. We have weekly journal clubs, data clubs, seminars with invited speakers and a young researchers club ASAP and our own PhD programme, MoMeD and our own Postdoc Career Programme. BRIC actively participates in the European alliance, EU-life consisting of 13 excellent life science research institutions http://eu-life.eu/

Please read more about Helin group and BRIC on http://www.bric.ku.dk/

Terms of salary and employment 
Salary, pension and terms of employment will be in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Academics Central organization. Currently, the monthly salary starts at 32,745 DKK/ca. 4,366 Euro plus pension. Depending on qualifications, a higher salary may be negotiated.

Non-Danish and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions, if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark the last 10 years.

The position is covered by the “Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at the Universities” of June 28, 2013.

Application 
Your application must be submitted electronically by clicking ‘Apply now’ below or via BRIC’s website onhttp://www.bric.ku.dk/jobs/. The application must include the following documents/attachments – all inPDF format:

Motivated letter of application (max. one page). 
CV incl. education, work/research experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position. 
A certified/signed copy of a) PhD certificate and b) Master of Science certificate. 
List of publications.

Letters of recommendation 
Furthermore, the applicant should provide two letters of recommendation. To be taken into consideration, the letters must be signed by the supporting person on paper with institutional letter head and in PDF-format. The letters should be sent before deadline to kristian.helin@bric.ku.dk with subject “name candidate-Helin group-postdoc-November 2017”; preferably by the supporting person. Please make sure that an easy match between the recommendation letter and the individual applicant is possible.

Application deadline: November 10th, 2017.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications or letters of recommendation that do not live up to the above-mentioned requirements.

The further process 
Shortlist: After expiry of the application deadline, the superior with power to appoint selects a number of applicants for assessment on the advice of the Appointments Committee. All applicants are immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment. Applicants who were not passed for assessment should not expect further with regard to their application unless the shortlist is revised.

Assessment: The selected applications will be assessed according to the Ministry Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities 2012 and the University of Copenhagen’s guidelines 2013. The Assessment Committee makes a non-prioritized assessment of the academic qualifications and experience with respect to the above mentioned area of research, techniques, skills and other requirements listed in the advertisement.

You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/

BRIC and University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career. …