PhD in sex-specific genetic determinants of stroke risk in atrial fibrillation

Jobbeskrivelse
At the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, a PhD stipend in genetic analysis and cardiovascular disease is available for appointment from October 1, 2026 or soon hereafter.
The stipend is available within the doctoral program “Biostatistics and Epidemiology”, and the duration of the position is three years.

Your work tasks
This PhD project sits at the intersection of genetics, epidemiology, and cardiovascular medicine. Using large-scale genetic and health registry data, you will investigate sex-specific differences in stroke risk among patients with atrial fibrillation. Your work will involve applying Mendelian randomization and other causal inference methods to uncover potential genetic pathways contributing to disparities in stroke risk. The project combines statistical modeling with clinical insight, aiming to improve risk prediction and inform sex-specific prevention strategies in atrial fibrillation patients.

The research will be conducted in close collaboration with the Center for Clinical Data Science (CLINDA), Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University. The project is funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark.

Your competencies
Applicants must hold an MSc degree in statistics, genetic epidemiology, bioinformatics, clinical data science, medicine, or a related field. Programming skills (e.g., R, Python, or similar) and experience in handling and analyzing large-scale genetic datasets are highly desirable. Familiarity with genetic association studies and the development or use of analytical pipelines for genomic data is an advantage. Applicants should have excellent oral and written English communication skills. Candidates who expect to complete their MSc degree before the appointment date are also encouraged to apply; in such cases, documentation of the expected graduation date must be provided.

Qualification requirements
PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Doctoral School in Medicine, Biomedical Science and Technology in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1124 of September 19, 2025 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time. As part of the PhD study, you are among other things required to complete PhD courses corresponding to 30 ECTS, gain experience with teaching or other forms of knowledge dissemination and complete an external research stay outside of Aalborg University, preferably 3-6 months at a foreign research institution.

Who we are
The Danish Center for Health Services Research is a multidisciplinary and open research environment encompassing a wide range of research disciplines and expertise, including epidemiology, health economics, biostatistics, sociology, and clinical research. The center is structurally integrated within the Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aalborg University, and within Research, Education, and Innovation at Aalborg University Hospital.
CLINDA is a multidisciplinary center dedicated to bridging clinical practice and data science, and the candidate will collaborate closely with the research group for Bioinformatics and Statistics.

The Department of Clinical Medicine provides research-based teaching across all disciplines of the medical degree programme and conducts research within the clinical specialties. The department collaborates closely with hospitals in the North Denmark Region and general practice in both teaching and research. Medical students receive instruction at several hospital sites and in general practice throughout the region. The department is affiliated with approximately 40 research units, each representing a specific medical specialty. In addition, the department is also associated with several other research units and centres. The majority of the department’s staff hold concurrent clinical positions alongside their academic appointments.
Read more about the Department of Clinical Medicine here.

How to apply
Your application must include the following:

• Application, stating reasons for applying and qualifications in relation to the position
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Diplomas (bachelor's and master's degree diploma, including grades)
• Other relevant documents

The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website.

Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.

Do you have any questions?
If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.

Further information
Read more about our recruitment process here.

The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

Read more about The Doctoral School in Medicine, Biomedical Science and Technology

Salary and terms of employment
The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish).

Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (in Danish)

There is a mutual probationary period of 3 months for the position.

Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.

Contacts

• Lektor Peter Brønnum Nielsen: +4523692836, [email protected]
• Lektor Rasmus Froberg Brøndum: +4551923437, [email protected]

Ansøgningsfrist
03-08-2026

Ref. nummer
2026/870

Afdeling
Department of Clinical Medicine