PhD fellowship in physiology of menopause

Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, The August Krogh section for Human Physiology, invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in physiology of menopause. The project is part of the research project Women in healthy transistion (in Danish: Kvinder i Sund Overgang, KiSO).

Start date is (expected to be) 1 May 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project
With the cessation of estrogen production at menopause, the risk of cardiovascular diseases increases dramatically, body composition is altered and cardiovascular and metabolic health may be impaired. Physical activity is the single most powerful “drug” for maintaining and improving cardiovascular and metabolic health. However, recent data suggest that the positive effects of physical activity may be reduced after the menopausal transition.

This project, will study why menopause affects the efficacy of physical activity and whether physical activity and/or hormone replacement therapy around the menopausal transition can mitigate this effect. The current PhD project will have a focus on both acute effects of exercise in women across different phases and follows a cohort of women who are being studied before they enter menopause, during the transition, and up to 20 years after the menopausal transition.

This project is part of a larger study that looks beyond physiology by also examining the impact of menopause and physical activity on sociological and psychological factors. Read more here .

Who are we looking for?
We are looking for candidates within the field(s) of human physiology. Applicants can have a background in human physiology, exercise physiology, biology, kinesiology, medicine or similar.

Our group and research- and what do we offer?
Our group work on various parts of the physiological regulation of the cardiovascular and metabolic in relation to physical activity. Our main focus is on research in humans with advanced invasive methods along with state of the art mechanistic models. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment

The group is a part of Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. We are located in Copenhagen.

Principal supervisor is associate professor Lasse Gliemann, E-mail: gliemann@nexs.ku.dk .

The PhD programme
Qualifications needed for the regular programme
To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. human physiology. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database .

Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

The terms of employment and salary are in accordance to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State (AC). The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in physiological mechanisms and the importance of sex hormones
• Good English language skills

Application and Assessment Procedure

 Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include: 

Motivated letter of application (max. one page)

Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position

Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.

Publication list (if possible)

Reference letters (if available)

Application deadline:
The deadline for applications is 28 January 2026, 23:59 GMT+1.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/ .

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in February 2026

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/ .

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.