About the position

The Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) has a vacant 3-year PhD–position in the field of pathophysiology.

Canine viper envenomation and novel biomarkers of kidney injury

Norwegian University of Life Sciences

NMBU has a special responsibility for research and education that ensures the basis of life for future generations.

Sustainability is rooted in everything we do and we provide knowledge for life.

NMBU has 1700 employees and 5200 students and is organized in seven faculties. NMBU has a campus in Ås and in Oslo. In the autumn of 2020 we are co-located on Ås. Further information on NMBU is available at www.nmbu.no.

About the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at NMBU is the country's only veterinary professional education and provide expertise in veterinary medicine and veterinary public health. The Faculty educates veterinarians, animal nurses and doctoral students in Veterinary Science and researches in veterinary medicine and related biomedical fields. We have 500 students and 430 employees.

The faculty consists of the departments Basal and Aquamedicine, Food Safety and Infection Biology, Production Animal Medicine and Sports and Family Animal Medicine. We also run the University Animal Hospital, which is closely linked to our research and education, and receives patients from all over the country.

The department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine is one out of four departments at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Department responsibilities include science-based teaching of veterinary and veterinary nurse students, supervision of PhD-students, as well as research at a high international level within veterinary basic sciences.

NMBU Veterinary College is today located at Campus Adamstuen in Oslo. In August, 2020, we move into new beautiful premises at Campus Ås.

The aim of the PhD-project is to identify new sensitive markers for kidney injuries in dogs, in order to enable early diagnosis of such injuries, and thus improve treatment outcome.

Venom of the Common European Viper is known to cause mild kidney injury. Possible markers of kidney injury will be identified in urine from dogs envenomated by vipers.

Both immuno-fluorescence based techniques and metabolomics will be used. The PhD-project is supported by the department and has collaborators at an external veterinary clinic and at Oslo University Hospital.

Main tasks

• Plan and implement collection of blood and urine from dogs envenomated by the European viper as well as from healthy controls.
• Perform laboratory work using conventional methods such as multiplex immunoassays and/or ELISA.
• Involvement in the metabolomic work, and subsequent data analysis.
• Synthesize results and present them orally and in writing

The successful candidate is expected to enter a plan for the progress of the work towards a PhD degree during the first months of the appointment, with a view to completing a doctorate within the PhD scholarship period.

Acdemic Qualifications

The successful applicant must meet the conditions defined for admission to a PhD programme at NMBU. The applicant must have a documented strong academic background from previous studies, and be able to document proficiency in both written and oral English. For more detailed information on the admission criteria please see the PhD Regulations and the relevant PhD programme description.

The applicant must document expertise and interest in the research subject.

Required Academic qualifications

• Veterinary degree with good results and authorisation to practice veterinary medicine in Norway
• Proficiency in both oral and written English
• Research interest in basic sciences

Relevant experience is favourable, however, graduates with a high motivation for research are also encouraged to apply.

Desired Academic qualifications

• Research experience including laboratory work
• Clinical experience
• Oral skills in a Scandinavian language

Required personal skills

• Good communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work systematically and independently
• High work capacity and ability to see tasks through to completion

Personal suitability will be emphasized.

Desired personal skills

• Will to take initiative
• Solution-orientated attitude

Remuneration and information

The position is placed in government pay scale position code 1017 PhD. Fellow, wage framework 20 (salary grade 36-62). PhD. Fellows are normally placed in pay grade 51 (NOK 443.900,-) on the Norwegian Government salary scale upon employment and follow ordinary meriting regulations.

Employment is conducted according to national guidelines for University and Technical College PhD scholars.

For further information, please contact:

• Associate Professor Karin Zimmer, E-mail: karin.zimmer@nmbu.no; phone +47 67232038

Information for PhD applicants and general Information to applicants

Application

To apply online for this vacancy, please click on the 'Apply for this job' button above. This will route you to the University's Web Recruitment System, where you will need to register an account (if you have not already) and log in before completing the online application form.

Application deadline: 01.06.2019

Applications should include (electronically) a letter of intent, curriculum vitae, publication list, if any, copies of degree certificates and transcripts of academic records (all certified), and a list of two persons who may act as references (with phone numbers and e-mail addresses). Publications should be included electronically within the application deadline. The relevant NMBU Department may require further documentation, e.g. proof of English proficiency.

Printed material, which cannot be sent electronically, should be sent by surface mail to Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, within 01.06.2019. Please quote reference number 19/02216.

If it is difficult to judge the applicant’s contribution for publications with multiple authors, a short description of the applicant’s contribution must be included.

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