We are looking for a highly motivated and dynamic researcher for a 3-year postdoctoral position to commence on 1st November 2026 or after agreement.
The position is part of the newly established Daugbjerg Madsen group and focuses on understanding how prediabetic progression induces changes in protein O-glycosylation in the pancreas and how these changes dysregulate pancreatic function during the development of type 2 diabetes.

Information on the department can be found at: https://bmi.ku.dk/

Our research
The Daugbjerg Madsen group aims to understand how compromised protein secretion from endocrine and exocrine cells drives metabolic diseases with a specific focus on protein O-glycosylation. This type of post-translational modification is known to regulate a wide array of cellular processes, including the regulated secretion of hormones and digestive enzymes as well as inflammation. However, little is known about how lifestyle and diet affect the glycosylation process, its downstream roles and ultimately the metabolism, leaving a large void in our understanding of metabolic disease progression.

Our work combines multiplex immunofluorescent staining, spatial ‘omics, intravital subcellular microscopy, mouse models of obesity and/or diabetes, and clinical samples to understand how protein O-glycosylation contributes to the underlying mechanisms of metabolic diseases and whether this serves as a vulnerability that can be targeted in prevalent diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus.

We work in an interdisciplinary setting between metabolism and glycobiology, with exciting new possibilities for intravital microscopy – fluorescence microscopy in live animals to study cellular dynamics in its true setting – in collaboration with the newly established intravital microscopy core. We strive to provide an international environment that values research exchange, mobility, scientific curiosity, and an inclusive working environment. We actively foster teamwork, knowledge sharing, and support early-career researchers in developing independent research profiles.

Your job
As a postdoc in the Daugbjerg Madsen group, your overarching aim is to determine how O-glycans and glycan-binding receptors regulate inflammatory signaling in the pancreas during prediabetes and the early stages of type 2 diabetes.
Your tasks will include:

• Designing and performing experiments on diet-inducedmouse models of prediabetes.
• Developing protocols for and applying new spatial multiplex staining workflows.
• Lead collaborative spatial proteomics & transcriptomic analyses.
• Study patient-derived isolated islets from healthy and diabetic donors.
• Perform in vivo studies using intravital microscopy of the pancreas.
• Disseminating results through publications and conference presentations.
• Contributing to the supervision of students and junior researchers in the group.

Profile
We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic scientist with the following competencies and experience:

Essential experience and skills:

• You have a PhD in life science or a related, relevant field
• You have documented experimental experience in biomedical research, including previous publications
• You have an active interest in driving independent research projects
• You have proficient communication skills and thrive in collaborative projects
• You have excellent English skills, written and spoken
• You have experience in at least one of the following:
• The fields of Glycobiology, Inflammation, or Type 2 Diabetes
• Multiplexed staining methods
• Quantitative image analysis
• Spatial Omics
• Omics analysis

Desirable experience and skills:

• You have experience with mouse work (such as a FELASA certificate)
• You have experience with R, Python, or a similar language

Place of employment
The position is based at the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen. The department offers a vibrant research environment within metabolism and endocrinology, with strong collaborations across groups studying metabolism, hormone signaling, as well as diseases affecting body weight and energy balance. The department hosts modern laboratories and state-of-the-art core facilities, including microscopy, proteomics, and histology, providing excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.

Terms of employment
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 3 years. The starting date is 1st November 2026 or after agreement.

Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 18.07 % to your pension fund.

Foreign and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions, if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark the last 10 years.

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2025.

Questions
For further information please contact Thomas Daugbjerg Madsen [email protected] ; www.sund.ku.dk
Foreign applicants may find this link useful: www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility).

Application procedure
Your online application must be submitted in English by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. Furthermore, your application must include the following documents/attachments – all in PDF format:

• Motivated letter of application (max. one page).
• CV incl. education, work/research experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position.
• A certified/signed copy of a) PhD certificate and b) Master of Science certificate. If the PhD is not completed, a written statement from the supervisor will do.
• List of publications.

The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

Interviews are expected to be held in week 38 and/or 39.

The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.

Københavns Universitet giver sine knap 10.000 medarbejdere muligheder for at udnytte deres talent fuldt ud i et ambitiøst, uformelt miljø. Vi sikrer traditionsrige og moderne rammer om uddannelser og fri forskning på højt internationalt niveau. Vi søger svar og løsninger på fælles problemer og gør ny viden tilgængelig og nyttig for andre.

Kontakt
Thomas Daugbjerg Madsen
E-mail: [email protected]

Info
Ansøgningsfrist: 30-08-2026

Ansættelsesdato: 01-11-2026

Arbejdstid: Fuldtid

Afdeling/Sted: Department of Biomedical Sciences