Call for applications for a fully financed PhD fellowship

Project description

The Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital invite applications for a PhD position in occupational and environmental epidemiology, focusing on the inflammatory pathways linking workplace exposures to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The position is fully funded for three years by the Danish Working Environment Research Fund. The PhD fellowship is set to begin April 1, 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The Inflamm@work project aims to investigate how workplace exposures (dust, noise, shift work, and job stress), environmental exposures (air pollution and traffic noise) and lifestyle contribute to low-grade systemic inflammation and the risk of CVD. Using biobank samples, national health registers, and advanced statistical models, this interdisciplinary research will provide new insights into how modifiable work-related risk factors influence inflammation and disease development.

This PhD project is part of a Nordic biobank study and will focus on the Danish cohort, consisting of 6,044 participants from eight well-characterized occupational studies, with detailed workplace exposure histories and biobanked blood samples collected between 1992 and 2019.

The candidate will analyze:

• Inflammatory biomarkers, including high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) and a 92-protein inflammation panel (Olink technology).
• Workplace exposure data, derived from job-exposure matrices (JEMs), payroll records, and registry-based assessments.
• CVD outcomes, using nationwide Danish health registries.

The successful candidate will join a collaborative research environment, working closely with leading Danish and Nordic researchers. The position includes a research stay at Lund University, Sweden.

Main Research Objectives:

• Investigate the association between workplace exposures and inflammatory biomarkers using advanced exposure assessment methods
• Examine the role of inflammation as a mediator between workplace exposures and cardiovascular disease risk
• Apply advanced statistical models to assess complex exposure-response relations
• Contribute to evidence-based recommendations for workplace exposure limits and preventive strategies

Key collaborators include Henrik Kolstad, Karoline Kærgaard Hansen, Kirsten Pugdahl, Vivi Schlünssen, Torben Sigsgaard, Karin Broberg, Lars Rylander, Marianne Kyndi, Johan Hviid Andersen, Jakob Hjort Bønløkke, Morten Böttcher, Holger Jon Møller, and Ulla Birgitte Vogel.

Qualifications

Required:

• MD or MSc in epidemiology, public health, biomedicine or a related field
• Strong skills in quantitative data analysis and statistical modeling
• Experience with epidemiological studies, registry-based research, or exposure assessment
• High level of motivation, responsibility, flexibility and ability to work independently
• Highly enthusiastic, ambitious, collaborative, friendly, and team-oriented personality
• Excellent communication skills in English (written and oral)

Preferred:

• Experience in biostatistics and inflammation research
• Familiarity with large-scale register data and biobank studies
• Interest in occupational and environmental health research

General Job Description:

• Conduct and manage the PhD research project
• Publish results in high-impact peer-reviewed journals
• Present findings at national and international conferences
• Participate in PhD courses and teaching activities
• Conduct a research stay abroad (Lund University, Sweden)

We Offer:

• A fully financed PhD fellowship in an internationally recognized research environment
• Access to high-quality biobank data, national health registers, and cutting-edge analytical tools
• Interdisciplinary collaboration with leading Danish and international researchers
• A research stay at Lund University, Sweden, with opportunities for networking and career development
• A supportive and dynamic work environment

How to apply

Please submit your application via this link. Application deadline is 10 March 2025 23:59 CET. Preferred starting date is 1 April 2025.

For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see our application guide.  

Further information

Please contact PhD, Clinical Associated Professor Zara Ann Stokholm, zarsto@clin.au.dk, for more information.

All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement.