Projects

• Marine and freshwater ecology and systems biology (lakes, streams, coastal zone, ocean)
• Aquatic microbiology and microbial ecology (virus, bacteria/archaea, microalgae, protists)
• Ecophysiology of aquatic plants, animals and microbes
• Sensory biology
• Evolutionary and developmental biology of aquatic animals
• Aquatic symbioses incl. coral reef biology
• Biodiversity and conservation of aquatic habitats (e.g. lakes, streams, seagrass meadows)
• Aquaculture and bioproduction
• Development of novel experimental tools in aquatic science
  (e.g. microsensors, bioimaging, respirometry, in situ environmental monitoring)

Programme
This section of the PhD programme covers all aspects of aquatic sciences in freshwater and marine habitats ranging from arctic to tropical ecosystems. It is possible to conduct PhD projects focussed on applied and fundamental research on a wide variety of aquatic organisms (virus to fish) and ecosystems, including international collaboration and projects involving external partners from industry and other stakeholders. The involved sections have excellent wet lab facilities for aquatic research, host a wide variety of advanced experimental and molecular biological methods and infrastructure, and have a strong network with Danish and international research groups, companies and organizations.

Graduates take jobs in a variety of sectors including private consultancy companies, NGO’s, governmental and international agencies, the outreach and education sector (high schools, media, public aquaria/museums), industry (aquaculture, biotech) as well as in academia and research.

Contact: Michael Kühl

Sections:
Freshwater Biology
Marine Biology

• Bioinformatics
• Population Genetic Analyses
• Genomics
• Transcriptomics
• Structural modelling of biomolecules
• Systems biology

Programme
This section of the PhD programme covers a range of topics within Bioinformatics and deals with the development of new computational methods and the application of these to biological data. Topics include probabilistic modeling and analysis of sequence data, genotyping data and protein structure, as well as different types of transcriptomics and genomics-based analyses. Graduates from this programme often take on jobs in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, at hospitals, and in higher education and research.

Contact: Jeppe Vinther

Section:
Computational and RNA Biology

• Molecular genetics of DNA replication, cell cycle control, DNA repair and recombination, transcription and chromatin structure
• Plant innate immunity
• CRISPR defense mechanisms

Programme
This section of the PhD programme covers the fundamental molecular mechanisms of the cell and its pathogens with a special focus on the molecular genetics of DNA replication, cell cycle control, DNA repair and recombination, transcription and RNA biology, chromatin structure and epigenetics, plant innate immunity, and CRISPR defense mechanisms. Some PhD projects have an applied dimension aiming at understanding disease mechanisms relating to for example cancer, ageing, neurological disorders, fertility, antibiotic resistance, or immune disorders. The research topics are largely experimental but can involve significant aspects of bioinformatics. Graduates from this programme often take on jobs in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, at hospitals, in consulting (intellectual property rights), and in higher education and research.

Contact: Michael Lisby

Sections:
Biomolecular Sciences
Cell Biology and Physiology
Computational and RNA Biology
Functional Genomics

• Organismal Biology
• Signal transduction
• Molecular Membrane Physiology
• Ciliary signalling pathways in mammalian cells

Programme
This section of the PhD programme covers fundamental and advanced principles of cell biology and physiology. The focus is on molecular, cellular, and in vivo studies of organ development and function, cellular signaling, membrane transport, and metabolism and genomics. PhD projects may be focused on basic mechanisms in cell biology and/or physiology, or on how these are dysregulated in molecular mechanisms of disease such as metabolic disorders, cancer, or ciliopathies. The research topics are experimental and employ a wide range of molecular and cell biological methods. Models range from in vitro, over cell culture-based model systems and animal models, to human subjects. Graduates from this program often take jobs in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, in the public sector (hospitals, governmental agencies focused on health and research), and in higher education and research.

Contact: Stine Falsig Pedersen

Section:
Cell Biology and Physiology