挪威公共卫生协会环境流行病学博士后职位

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) strives to improve the public’s health by strengthening preventive health care in the community. The NIPH provides advice and services, and gathers valuable insight into factors that affect public health and how it can be improved. The NIPH provides evidence-based advice and services to the judiciary and all areas of forensic science. The Institute is organized into a Division for Institute Resources and five scientific Divisions: Infectious Disease Control, Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology, Mental health, and Forensic Medicine & Drug Abuse Research. We have approximately 1,150 employees and are located centrally in Oslo and Bergen.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health is an “IA” workplace and is thereby committed to diversity. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply for a job with us, regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnic or national background.

  A Postdoc or PhD research position in environmental epidemiology and neuropsychological development is open from September 1st 2015, or as soon as possible, at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) in the area of Infectious Diseases and Environmental Medicine. The PhD position lasts 36 months, the Postdoc period 26 months with possibility for extension.

The role of gut microbiota for early development and human health is now acknowledged. Recent research has shown that microbial input is crucial for a normal development of diverse organs, thereby the brain. Experimental studies indicate a role of gut microbiota in stress-responses, anxiety, autism, hyperactivity and depression. Human studies are lacking. Also persistent environmental toxicants such as PCBs, brominated compounds and heavy metals may interfere with normal development of the fetal and infant brain, directly or potentially through interfering with gut microbiota.

In a prospective mother and child birth cohort comprising 550 children and specifically designed to study health effects of gut microbiota in early life (NOMIC study), we will explore the associations between gut microbiota, and health -with focus on neuropsychological development and behavioral disorders in young children. We also have environmental toxicants mapped in these children, and have developed and will utilize a model which enables separation of pre and postnatal exposure to persistent toxicants. Within the framework of a Norwegian grant from Nevrinor, as well as an international EU-project (DENAMIC), we have set up a multidisciplinary team, consisting of experimental researchers and epidemiologist, collaborating in order to increase our knowledge on how gut microbiota and environmental toxicants, may effect early neuropsychological development.

The successful applicant will work within this team of researchers at NIPH and with a wide network of international collaborators. The main focus for the research of the applicant will be gut microbiota, but he/she will most likely be involved in the research on the interactions with environmental toxicants as well.

Job description

• Advanced statistical analysis of Illumina data (representing microbial DNA sequences) and health effects, and publication of results in Scientific Journals
• Take part in research on interactions between gut microbiota composition and Arsenic and Mercury transformation in the gut and how this may relate to neuropsychological health

Qualifications

• For the Postdoc position a PhD in statistics or epidemiology is required
• For the Postdoc position, proven excellence in research is a requirement and good skills in statistics and in the use of statistical work packages such as STATA, R or SPSS
• Prior research within the topic of gut microbiota, arsenic/ mercury and/ or neuropsychological outcomes is an advantage
• Prior experience with Illumina data and or gene-environment interactions is an advantage
• Highly skilled in the English language (oral and written)
• For the PhD-position a Master degree in statistics, epidemiology, bioinformatics, medicine or microbiology is required
• Very good skills in mathematics and English is required. Good writing skills is an advantage
• Skills and knowledge that complements our research team is also an advantage, even when not directly relevant for the current proposal, as it enhances cross collaboration

Education field

• Medical / Health / Social subjects Pharmaceutics Epidemiology

Education level

• Academy college / University

Personal qualities

• Independent, result-oriented, ambitious, hard working Curious, open-minded, with an interest (and capacity) for learning Flexible and able to collaborate

We offer

• An interOsesting job in a top research group, with diverse assignments in a stimulating environment
• Position as a Postdoctoral Fellow or PhD with salary depending on qualifications and set according to the Norwegian wage scales
• Privileges from the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund