PhD Fellowship in Chemical Methods for Half-Life Extension of Peptides at the University of Copenhagen
Job Description
The University of Copenhagen’s Department of Chemistry is offering a PhD fellowship in chemical methods to extend the half-life of therapeutic peptides, in the group of Professor Knud J. Jensen. The project is funded by a Novo Nordisk Foundation Distinguished Innovator Grant.
At a glance
- Position: PhD fellowship, Section for Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry
- Project: New strategies for half-life extension of peptide therapeutics
- Supervisor: Professor Knud J. Jensen
- Start: Expected 1 January 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter
- Apply: 20 September 2026, 23:59 GMT+2
About the PhD project
- Develop new cleavable linkages that activate a peptide drug when the bond is broken
- Develop methods to chemically modify native peptides locally so they resist breakdown by enzymes
- Work at the interface of synthetic chemistry, biology and biophysics in a group of about ten people at the Frederiksberg Campus
Many modern drugs, including treatments for diabetes and obesity, are peptides. They are highly specific but are cleared from the body quickly, so chemistry that keeps them active for longer can mean fewer injections for patients.
A Danish PhD combines supervised research with about 30 ECTS of PhD courses, a research stay at another group, and some teaching or dissemination, ending in a PhD thesis. Positions are advertised with a fixed project and supervisor, and applicants apply to that specific project.
What University of Copenhagen is looking for
- A background in chemical biology, synthetic organic chemistry, peptide science or medicinal chemistry
- For the 3-year programme: a degree equivalent to a Danish master’s in a related subject
Nice to have
- Synthetic bioorganic chemistry of peptides and proteins, and chemo-selective conjugation chemistry
- Synthesis and characterisation of bioconjugates
- HPLC and mass spectrometry
Pay and location
Salary, pension and terms of employment follow the agreement between the Danish Ministry and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC); the posting gives no figure. The position is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
How to apply
Apply through the official University of Copenhagen page. The closing date is 20 September 2026, 23:59 GMT+2. Apply through the University of Copenhagen job portal using the “Apply now” link on the official posting, which lists the documents to include.
See all our PhD positions, or browse more research jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: University of Copenhagen
Official advertisement: employment.ku.dk
How to prepare for this application
- Peptide chemistry: revise solid-phase peptide synthesis and conjugation chemistries.
- Half-life extension: read about lipidation, PEGylation and albumin binding as existing strategies.
- Analytics: be ready to discuss HPLC and mass spectrometry of peptides.
- Cleavable linkers: think about how a linker could release an active peptide in the body.
- Deadline: it closes on 20 September 2026.
About the University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen, founded in 1479, is Denmark's oldest and largest university. In Denmark, PhD students are normally employed on full-time salaried contracts, with pay and terms set by national collective agreements, and the standard PhD lasts three years after a master's degree.
