PhD position focusing on Metabolic Physiology in Women's Health 100 %

PhD position focusing on Metabolic Physiology in Women's Health 100 %

University of Bern and University Hospital Bern, Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, Nutritional Medicine and Metabolism (UDEM)
Start of employment: by agreement
Employment is fixed term for 1 year. Yearly renewable
The research group of Metabolic Physiology (led by Prof. Lia Bally and Dr. David Herzig) explores physiologic mechanisms underlying human metabolism and apply this knowledge to the prevention and treatment of diabetes, obesity and other endocrine and nutritional disorders. We work with advanced metabolic techniques, including mathematical modelling, stable isotopes and digital technologies in the framework of clinical trials and large clinical database analysis.

PhD position focusing on Metabolic Physiology in Women's Health

PhD focus:
Addressing knowledge gaps that exist in women's health and physiology, in particular the role of changes in sex hormone on metabolism in the context of diabetes, menopause and GLP-1 signaling. The work is embedded in an interdisciplinary projects combining clinical with pre-clinical research, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and digital innovation grants.

Area of Responsibility:
The candidate will engage in a mechanistic trial adopting multi-dimensional metabolic profiling and apply novel analytical approaches to experimental and clinical data. Acquiring a variety of methodological and transferable skills through interdisciplinary training, the student will have the opportunity to present her/his work at international conferences, publish peer reviewed manuscripts and contribute to outreach activities, including exchanges with target populations. The candidate will be supervised by Prof Lia Bally and Dr David Herzig, and be part of an interdisciplinary and international research team working on the topic of Metabolic Health of Women, consisting of clinical experts, statisticians, data scientists, biomedical engineers, basic researchers and bioanalytical chemists.

We are looking for an ambitious and highly motivated person with a deep interest in metabolic physiology and strong analytical skills. You should be passionate about closing critical women's health gaps, in particular in the context of menopause and diabetes, by applying advanced techniques on experimental and observational data.

Required qualifications and experience:

• A master's degree in life sciences, biomedical sciences, bioengineering, health and technology, biology, pharmacy, medicine, or a related field.
• Strong analytical skills including critical thinking, problem-solving and data literacy
• Ability to learn and adapt a high level and think quickly on your feet
• Expertise/experience in the following areas is an advantage:
• Biostatistics
• Mathematical modelling of physiological systems
• Human physiology
• Proficiency in R, Python, or Matlab.
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken. Good German skills are a plus.
• Good communication skills with the ability to convey complex information to diverse audiences
• Good organization skills, stamina and accurate working style
• Cooperative personality and enjoying good interdisciplinary and international team work

• We provide excellent scientific and clinical expertise in a stimulating environment and support a career focusing on patient-oriented translational research, embedded in therapeutic and preventive health care environments.
• A friendly, stimulating, international, and multidisciplinary environment.
• A workplace in Bern, Switzerland's capital, known for its high quality of life and surrounded by beautiful nature, perfect for hiking, biking, swimming, and winter sports.
• A fully funded PhD position, with compensation aligned with SNSF (Swiss National Science Foundation) standards.

For subject-specific questions and information about the position, please contact Dr. David Herzig (E-Mail schreiben) or Prof. Dr. Dr. Lia Bally (E-Mail schreiben).