Fully Funded PhD Position: Mathematical Modelling of Sex-Differences in the Human Adrenal Cortex and Its Disorders (DC11) – ENDOTRAIN MSCA Doctoral Network University of Bergen in Norway

The University of Bergen is offering a fully funded PhD position as part of the ENDOTRAIN MSCA Doctoral Network, focusing on the mathematical modelling of sex-differences in the human adrenal cortex and its associated disorders. This project, embedded in Work Package 3: Trustworthy Data and Models, aims to advance computational approaches for optimizing glucocorticoid replacement therapies in female patients with adrenal hormone deficiency, with a particular emphasis on maintaining or restoring fertility. The research will leverage multimodal datasets, including dynamic hormone profiling and biosensor data, to develop sophisticated mathematical models of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and its interactions with the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian (HPO) axis.

Key objectives include constructing models to delineate cross-talk mechanisms between the HPA and HPO axes, calibrating these models with wearable device data and hormone profiles from both healthy subjects and patients, characterizing variability in model parameters to generate virtual patients, and predicting dynamic hormone profiles and responses to therapy. The project also aims to contribute to the development of digital platforms for endocrine disease management, such as endocrine digital twins.

The successful candidate will collaborate with other doctoral candidates and participate in secondments at Sapienza University of Rome (AI-based virtual twins) and LMU University Hospital Munich (model calibration). The position is hosted at the Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, within the Computational Biology Unit (CBU), a cross-disciplinary research environment with expertise spanning bioinformatics, biology, mathematics, computer science, chemistry, and medicine. The candidate will benefit from access to high-performance computing facilities, multimodal datasets, computational training, and international collaborations.

Applicants must hold a master's degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline with a strong mathematical/computational component. Programming proficiency in Python, Matlab, or Julia is required, along with a solid background in mathematical modelling. Experience in model parameterisation, sensitivity analysis, optimisation, time series analysis, dynamical systems theory, and bifurcation analysis is advantageous. Candidates should demonstrate strong interest in translational endocrinology, wearable device data, and digital health technologies, as well as excellent communication skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Proficiency in English is essential.

The position offers a gross annual salary of NOK 570,000, full social security coverage, travel and secondment budget, and opportunities for international networking and career development. Participation in the interdisciplinary training of the ENDOTRAIN network is mandatory, including workshops, retreats, and cohort-wide meetings across Europe. Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity in Norway for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before recruitment. Applications are accepted exclusively through the Jobbnorge portal, with all mandatory attachments required by the deadline of February 15, 2026.

For further details, visit the Computational Biology Unit at https://cbu.w.uib.no/ and the official FindAPhD posting here.