PHD

This doctoral research position investigates short- and long-term consequences of estradiol deprivation for the aging female brain using rodent models of menopause and Alzheimer's disease.

The project will model menopause through ovarian removal, pharmacological suppression of non-ovarian estradiol sources, and experimentally induced sleep disturbance and thermodysregulation, and will measure outcomes related to estrogen signaling, Alzheimer's pathology, cognition, sleep, temperature, and glucose metabolism.

The aim is to identify conditions under which estradiol loss is detrimental or not, with implications for menopause hormone therapy and adverse effects of anti-estrogen breast cancer treatments.

The candidate will be embedded in a neurobiology research group focused on memory, sleep, and hormones, with opportunities to collaborate within local and international networks and to attend relevant national and international conferences.

The position includes participation in teaching activities and supervision of MSc and BSc students who will contribute to the research.

• Master's degree in neuroscience, biology, biomedical sciences, psychology, or a related discipline, with relevant experience in rodent behavior, female physiology, computational and/or systems neuroscience.
• Completion of at least one neuroscience research project involving data collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination.
• Excellent command of English; exemptions apply for specified educational backgrounds or degrees taught fully in English.
• Desirable: familiarity with scientific literature on women's brain health and behavioral neuroendocrinology.
• Desirable practical experience: complex animal behavioral training, EEG sleep analysis, processing/analysis of neuroimaging (PET/MRI), and hormone assays.
• Desirable certifications: FELASA Article 9 license or equivalent animal experimentation certification, especially for candidates outside the EU.
• Soft skills: effective communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, integrity, accountability, and attention to detail.

• Implement and manage the research project, including planning experiments and overseeing progress.
• Collect, process, analyze, and interpret experimental data and disseminate results through publications and presentations.
• Perform and learn experimental techniques relevant to the project, including rodent cognitive testing, confocal microscopy, and PET acquisition, processing, and analysis at the small-animal neuroimaging facility.
• Hold regular meetings with supervisors, the lab, and the neurobiology expertise group.
• Supervise MSc and BSc students in data collection, analysis, and literature review.
• Contribute to teaching activities within the biology program.

Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development and support for attending conferences and building collaborations.

End-of-year bonus and holiday allowance are provided as part of employment conditions.

Full-time employment for a fixed term of 48 months, starting with an initial temporary appointment of one year and renewal contingent on satisfactory progress toward timely completion of the doctoral thesis.

Supervision will be shared among faculty within the hosting research group and institute.

The host university is a major research institution offering interdisciplinary research and teaching across many scientific fields.

The Faculty of Science and Engineering conducts research and education in areas including biology, and collaborates with industry, healthcare, and societal partners to tackle pressing challenges.

The research will be based primarily in a neurobiology group within an institute for evolutionary life sciences, which hosts several internationally recognized molecular neurobiology and behavioral neuroscience research teams and is located on a campus with an active academic community.

The research group maintains local and international collaborations and networks that support career development and scientific exchange.