PhD position (4 years) at K.G. Jebsen Center for Parkinson’s Disease,…

The main purpose of the PhD position is to complete a doctoral thesis, which qualifies for independent research and other forms of employment that demand specific competency. The position is for a period of four (4) years.

The applicant is expected to write a PhD dissertation related to the stratification of Parkinson’s disease using mitochondrial and other tissue-based molecular markers. 

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the fastest growing neurological disorder and represents one of the most urgent health and societal challenges of our time. The clinically and biologically heterogeneous nature of PD hampers efforts to uncover underlying disease mechanisms, which in turn impedes efforts to design effective treatments. This project aims to address the biological heterogeneity of PD, identify distinct molecular disease subtypes using primarily post-mortem brain tissue, and lay the foundations for developing biomarkers for patient classification in clinical practice.

Initially, we will focus on discerning a putative mitochondrial subtype of PD, based on breakthrough findings by Professor Tzoulis’ group. Other disease subtypes will also be explored based on hypotheses- and data-driven approaches. 

The project will be based on tissue and/or data from a unique collection of more than 1,000 brains and involve a combination of state-of-the-art molecular and histological methodologies, with a particular focus on mitochondrial pathology. 

Additional PhD-related research and training will be conducted. The PhD candidate will have opportunities to travel to our collaborating institutions nationally and internationally to attend courses, training and conferences. 

The candidate will interact directly with a highly stimulating research environment including experts in clinical and translational neuroscience, neuropathology, neurogenetics and computational biology. This position is ideal for candidates interested in highly translational research in the field of ageing and neurodegeneration. This post will offer substantial opportunities for career development and growth.