Clinical assistant and PhD fellowship at Functional Imaging Unit, Rigshospitalet Glostrup, University of Copenhagen
Region Hovedstaden Glostrup
Skip to main Gå til Regionh.dk/job Søg job i Region Hovedstaden Region Hovedstaden søger Clinical assistant and PhD fellowship at Functional Imaging Unit, Rigshospitalet Glostrup, University of Copenhagen Functional Imaging Unit invites applications for a clinical research assistant with the possibility to apply for a 3-year co-financed PhD fellowship with the research project “Improving brain health in people with multiple sclerosis – the brain’s physiological adaptation following targeted aerobic exercise (Retrain MS)” from medical doctors that holding a Medical Doctor’s degree in September 2026 at the latest.
The position starts on September 1st 2026. The application deadline is July 1st 2026. Enrolment at the Copenhagen Graduate School of Health Sciences within 6 to 12 months from employment is a prerequisite (referring to the Ministerial Order on the PhD Program at Universities, no.1039, 27. August 2013). Functional Imaging Unit Functional Imaging Unit (FIU) was established at Rigshospitalet Glostrup in 2004 and is headed by Professor Henrik BW Larsson. FIU is part of the Dept. of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Rigshospitalet.
The general scientific aim is to bring advanced physiological or multi-modal MRI methods into clinical research based on physiological insight. Senior researchers at FIU have for more than 20 years investigated neuroscience and neurological diseases using MRI, with particular focus on cerebrovascular physiology, blood-brain barrier permeability, and brain energy metabolism in multiple sclerosis.
The PhD project Our group has recently demonstrated that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a significantly impaired cerebrovascular response to hypoxic stress, with a reduced ability to increase cerebral blood flow (CBF) and maintain normal cerebral oxygen metabolism (CMRO₂) under conditions of reduced oxygen supply – a dysfunction not observed in healthy controls.
These findings suggest a critical vulnerability to energy failure in the MS brain. The Retrain MS project now takes the next step by investigating whether this cerebrovascular dysfunction can be reversed through targeted, individualised aerobic exercise.
The project is a randomised controlled trial with three aims: Determine whether a 12-week supervised aerobic training programme can normalise the impaired CBF and CMRO₂ response to hypoxic stress in MS patients, assessed by advanced MRI methods including phase-contrast mapping, susceptibility-based oximetry, and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) for blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability.
Evaluate whether improvements in cerebrovascular physiology are correlated with changes in disease-relevant biomarkers (GFAP, NfL, BDNF, IL-6, IGF-1) and patient-reported outcomes including fatigue (MFIS), quality of life (MSIS-20, EQ-5D-5L), and cognitive function (SDMT).
Assess the long-term impact of the intervention through a two-year clinical follow-up, including repeated MRI, physiological tests, and patient interviews, contributing to the development of evidence-based exercise strategies for MS patients.
Supervisor: Professor Henrik BW Larsson, MD, DMSc invented the DCE-MRI method in 1990, supervisor for 26 PhD and Master Students since 1995) Co-supervisor: Stig P. Cramer, MD, PhD, Senior Researcher Co-supervisor: Mark B. Vestergaard, MSc, PhD, Senior Researcher Co-supervisor: Ylva Hellsten, Professor, Dr.
Med. Sci., August Krogh Section for Human Physiology, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen. Professor Hellsten leads a highly productive cardiovascular exercise physiology group with extensive expertise in the regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow, vascular adaptations to physical training, and the mechanisms by which exercise influences cardiovascular health.
Her group has a long track record of conducting clinical exercise intervention studies and provides key expertise in exercise physiology, training methodology, and the practical logistics of exercise research projects in patient populations.
Further information: stig.praestekjaer.cramer@regionh.dk PhD qualifications, conditions and procedure The successful applicant must hold a Medical Doctor’s degree, approved before employment. Previous experience or coursework in exercise physiology is considered an advantage.
Relevant coursework, previous research experience, and clinical or scientific interest in physical exercise, neurology, multiple sclerosis, or MRI-based methods should be described. The applicant should have a high level of academic interest in the field and should possess the ability to work in a multidisciplinary team spanning clinical medicine, neuroimaging, and exercise physiology.
Funding is currently secured for a 1-year clinical assistant position starting September 1ˢᵗ 2026. It is the clear intention to extend this into a full 3-year PhD fellowship, for which additional funding will be applied for in parallel with employment.
Extension is contingent upon successful funding and acceptance of the project by the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen. Applications (in English or Danish) should include a short description of motivation (max. 2 pages), academic achievements, copies of degrees, and a CV.
Deadline and Submission Deadline is July 1st 2026. Material received after this deadline will not be considered. Applications should be submitted through the application system. Professor Henrik BW Larsson, MD, DMSc Functional Imaging Unit Dept.
of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital Valdemar Hansens Vej 13 2600 Glostrup henrik.bo.wiberg.larsson@regionh.dk All interested parties are encouraged to apply for the position, regardless of age, sex, race, religion or ethnicity.
University of Copenhagen (UC) is Denmark’s oldest university, founded in 1479. With approximately 40,000 students and 9,000 employees as well as a annual turnover of 5.3 billion, UC is the largest university in the Nordic countries. UC ranks as number 30 in the world and is the only Nordic university among the world’s top 100.
www.ku.dk Fakta Jobtype Klinisk assistent Ph.d.-studerende Arbejdssted Rigshospitalet Arbejdstid 37 Jobnummer 269171 Ansøgningsfrist 01-07-2026 Contact [Project.ContactPerson1.ProfileImage-] Henrik Bo Wiberg Larsson Overlæge 24824294 [Project.ContactPerson2.ProfileImage-] Stig Præstekjær Cramer [Project.ContactPerson3.ProfileImage-] [Project.ContactPerson4.ProfileImage-] Det handler om liv Om at redde liv og øge livskvalitet.
Sammen med de andre hospitaler i Region Hovedstaden arbejder vi for at sikre vores patienter den bedst mulige behandling og sammenhæng i forløbet. På Rigshospitalet træder du ind på Danmarks største og højest specialiserede hospital, hvor vi leverer forskning i international klasse og behandler patienter med komplicerede og sjældne sygdomme.
Vi stiller høje faglige og menneskelige krav og tilbyder til gengæld en god og spændende arbejdsplads, hvor der er plads til at udfolde dine kompetencer og ambitioner. Vil du være med til at tage ansvar og gøre en forskel? Fakta På Rigshospitalet er vi 12.000 medarbejdere, de fleste af os arbejder på Blegdamsvej og i Glostrup Vi har over 500 højt specialiserede funktioner, bl.a. transplantationer på lever-, lunge-, nyre- og hjerteområdet samt transplantation af knoglemarv i forbindelse med kræftbehandling Vi modtager og behandler patienter fra Danmark, Færøerne og Grønland Vi uddanner sundhedsprofessionelle til fremtidens sundhedsvæsen.
Startløn Regionen er forpligtet til at oplyse dig om startlønnen for stillingen. Du får oplyst grundløn, centralt fastsatte tillæg og pension i den relevante overenskomst. Udover startlønnen, kan lønnen indeholde eventuelt forhandlede tillæg afhængigt af stillingen, dine erfaringer og kvalifikationer.Se startlønnen på regionens hjemmeside
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