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 descriptionObesity 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 beWork 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. Qualifications and competence Qualification requirements: Master of Science in molecular biology, molecular medicine, genetics, biomedicine or similar with an average grade of B or better at the Master level Hands-on experience in general molecular biology laboratory techniques, such as: RNA/ DNA isolation, protein extraction methods, RT-qPCR, genotyping, western blotting, Immunoprecipitation, adipocyte cell culture Excellent written and oral communication skills in English Ability to independently design, plan, and execute experiments To be admitted to the PhD programmes at the University of Oslo, an applicant must have a five year master's degree or equivalent studies that have been recognised by the faculty as forming a sufficient basis for admission.  For more information see: Why choose this PhD programme? - Faculty of Medicine To be employed as a PhD Research Fellow, admission to a doctoral program is required, or there must be a binding agreement for admission. Normally, one must apply for admission to a Ph.D. program within 3 months after the start of the research project leading to the Ph.D. degree. For more information, please see our website: https://www.med.uio.no/english/research/phd/index.html      It is an advantage if you have: Experience in obesity research and/or epigenetics Hands-on experience with methods within epigenetics such as ChIP, Cut & Tag, bisulphite sequencing, ATAC seq, RNA seq or similar Experience with next generation sequencing data analysis and work with sensitive data Basic programming skills (R/Python/Unix) Competence in statistics (R/SPSS/Stata) Personal characteristicsTeam player Self-driven/ independent  Structured and well organized Good communication and collaboration skills Positive, enthusiastic about science Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications. We need different perspectives in our work UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strives to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no. We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are looking for great colleagues—could you be the next one? We will provide appropriate accommodations should you need them. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures. If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps, we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian). The selections made in the job application portal are used for anonymized statistics that all state employers include in their annual reports. More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here. We hope you will apply for the position with us.  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. ApplicationYour 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. General informationPlease note that we are unable to add documentation after the application deadline. As the deadline applies equally to all applicants, this policy ensures equal treatment throughout the recruitment process. If you experience difficulties uploading documents in Jobbnorge, please contact their customer service: Phone: +47 75 54 22 20 or Email: support@grade.com  The primary method of communication throughout the process will be e-mails and messages through the recruitment system Jobbnorge. When you receive a notification of a message in Jobbnorge, please log in to read it, as it may be important. The best qualified candidates will invited for interviews.  Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us. Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian), Guidelines concerning appointment to recruitment positions at UiO and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees to secure the rights to all research results and related intellectual property.