Project: Bioinformatics analysis of the gut-microbiome during aging and following late-life interventions with respect to cognitive functions.
SmartAge ESR project 14
Host Organization: Clinical Microbiomics
Secondments: Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Germany / Wageningen University, Netherlands
Clinical Microbiomics, Denmark (head of project: Dr. Henrik Bjørn Nielsen), offers a PhD position for an Early-Stage Researcher (ESR) for the project: Bioinformatics analysis of the gut-microbiome during aging and following late-life interventions with respect to cognitive functions. The position is part of the EU-funded Innovative Training Network SmartAge (“Gut-brain-axis: Targets for improvement of cognition in the elderly”) with full-time employment for a duration of 3 years, starting in March 2021.
Objective of the project:
Aim of this project is to identify mechanistic links that connect the aging gut microbiome to cognitive decline and how this relation can be modified by interventions at old age. This will be achieved by multi-layered association between microbiome functional potential, microbiome dysbiosis (i.e. aging associated ecological biases in the microbiome) and cognitive readouts, multi-tissue and inflammatory measures and host metabolomics data. For this, we will use synteny to augment functional annotation and use the Functional Species Group (FSG) concept and machine learning to identify key species or groups of species important for healthy aging and cognitive function. This effort will take advantage of and expand Clinical Microbiomics´ metagenomic species framework, and sub species level phylogenetic framework for making associations between ultra-high resolution microbiomics data and phenotype information.
The PhD student will join an existing team with extensive knowledge in bioinformatics, machine learning, microbiome research and business.
Requirements for the applicant:
We expect a Master´s degree (or equivalent) in life-sciences or computer-science, experienced in bioinformatics and with an interest in microbiome research. Moreover, experience with phylogenetic analysis or population biology will be an advantage. Furthermore, the applicant should be able to perform team oriented as well as independent work. Desirable methodological skills: excellent background in bioinformatics, machine learning and phylogenetic analysis and computer programming.
The applicant must be fluent in both oral and written English.
Please note the eligibility criteria for researchers: Candidates must be in the first four years of his/her research career, not have a doctoral degree, and not have resided in Denmark for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date.
Selection process:
Interested candidates please send a motivation letter, a CV including publications (if available), copies of university degrees and courses (including obtained grades), and the names and e-mail addresses of two scientists who can provide references (all summarized in one pdf) to smartage@med.uni-jena.de. Preferential treatment will be given to applications received before 30 November 2020.
For more information concerning the research project please contact Henrik Bjørn Nielsen, PhD., CSO (phone: +45 93 51 12 53 ; email: hbjorn@clinical-microbiomics.com with subject line: “SMARTAGE ESR14”).