PhD Scholarship in Animal Nutrition; Assessment of Health Impact of Microbial Foods in Denmark

Location: Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
University: Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Position: PhD Student in Animal Nutrition and Host-Microbe Metabolism
Job ID: 8010
Employment: Full-time, 3 years
Start Date: 1 January 2027 or by mutual agreement
Application Deadline: 27 September 2026, 23:59 Danish time
Field: Animal Nutrition, Microbiome, Gut Biology, Food Science, Metabolism, Biotechnology
Programme: BRIGHT Mission 2 – Microbial Foods

PhD Scholarship at DTU on Microbial Foods and Health

The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) is inviting applications for a PhD scholarship in the assessment of the health impact of microbial foods in vivo. The position is part of the BRIGHT Mission 2 research programme and focuses on animal nutrition, host-microbe metabolism, microbiome science, and the pre-clinical evaluation of innovative microbial foods.

This PhD opportunity is particularly suited to candidates interested in understanding how foods produced through microbial processes can influence the gut microbiome, metabolism, nutrition, and overall health. The successful candidate will contribute to pre-clinical studies designed to generate evidence for future human clinical trials.

The research will be conducted in an interdisciplinary and international environment involving scientists at DTU and collaborating institutions abroad. The project combines nutrition, microbiology, food science, metabolic research, and translational science to investigate how fermentation, biomass composition, and food processing affect health-related outcomes.

About the BRIGHT Microbial Food Research Programme

The PhD project is part of BRIGHT Mission 2: Microbial Foods, an initiative focused on developing an AI-powered framework for the rational design of microbial foods. The programme aims to create microbial food products that address four major targets: consumer acceptance, health, sustainability, and scalability. Its first research phase focuses on the fungal chassis Aspergillus and Yarrowia, with more than 500 prototypes being characterized using approaches such as multi-omics, sensory analysis, life-cycle assessment, and safety testing.

The wider research programme brings together strain engineering, adaptive laboratory evolution, solid- and liquid-state fermentation, sensory and consumer research, and pre-clinical and clinical evaluation. Predictive models for flavor, texture, nutrition, and process scale-up are developed iteratively through active learning. For the PhD student, this creates an opportunity to work at the intersection of food innovation, microbiome research, animal nutrition, artificial intelligence, and human health.

PhD Research Project: Animal Nutrition and Host-Microbe Metabolism

As a PhD Student in Animal Nutrition and Host-Microbe Metabolism, you will help design and conduct murine feeding studies. These experiments will investigate the contribution of fermentation, biomass composition, and processing to nutritional and metabolic effects relevant to the host. The research will use structured pairwise comparisons, including plant substrates versus fermented foods, fermented foods versus extracted biomass, and biomass versus extruded plant protein and meat.

The findings will help researchers understand the biological effects of different microbial food production approaches. Importantly, the pre-clinical results are expected to contribute to the design of subsequent human clinical trials and predictive health models.

Main Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include:

• Designing and executing murine feeding studies.
• Investigating the effects of microbial foods and their components on host health.
• Measuring protein digestibility and other nutritional outcomes.
• Characterizing microbiome composition and function.
• Assessing gut barrier markers.
• Studying lipid metabolism and glucose handling.
• Measuring appetite-related hormones.
• Coordinating protocols and sample handoffs across BRIGHT, DTU Food, and UCSF collaborators.
• Helping ensure that experimental endpoints are collected consistently across collaborating institutions.
• Interpreting pre-clinical findings.
• Contributing to the design of future human clinical trials.

The position therefore combines hands-on experimental research with data interpretation, scientific collaboration, and translational planning.

Eligibility and Academic Requirements

Applicants should have a two-year Master’s degree equivalent to 120 ECTS credits in animal nutrition, host-microbe metabolism, gut biology, or a closely related discipline. Candidates with another relevant degree may also be considered if their academic qualifications are equivalent to a two-year Master’s degree.

Applicants should have strong organizational and project management abilities and an interest in developing new research methods. Excellent written and spoken English is required, together with literacy in common IT and AI systems. A Master’s degree does not necessarily have to be completed at the time of application. However, the successful candidate cannot begin the PhD position before receiving the Master’s degree.

Preferred Research Experience

While not every qualification is necessarily required, DTU is particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate relevant practical or research experience. Useful experience includes rodent husbandry, microbiome sequencing and analysis, and metabolic phenotyping. Familiarity with 16S sequencing or shotgun metagenomics would be valuable. Experience with methods such as indirect calorimetry and glucose tolerance testing would also be relevant to the project.

Because the research involves several institutions and disciplines, applicants should be comfortable working independently while also contributing to a large collaborative team. An ability to work across nutrition, microbiology, food science, and translational research will be an advantage. The ideal candidate is patient, rigorous, curious, pragmatic, and comfortable with the careful experimental work required for pre-clinical research.

PhD Enrolment at DTU

The PhD scholarship is subject to academic approval, and the successful candidate will be enrolled in one of DTU’s general PhD degree programmes. The PhD study programme will follow DTU’s requirements for doctoral education, including the applicable enrolment and study-planning rules. 

Salary, Employment Period and Working Conditions

The appointment is a full-time position for three years. The expected start date is 1 January 2027, although another starting date may be agreed upon by both parties. Salary and appointment conditions will follow the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The applicable allowance will be agreed with the relevant union. DTU describes its working environment as international, academically ambitious, and based on collegial respect and academic freedom combined with responsibility.

About DTU

The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) is an internationally recognized technical university with a long history in research, education, innovation, and scientific advice. Founded by Hans Christian Ørsted, DTU has a mission focused on developing knowledge and technological solutions that benefit society. The university has approximately 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students, and 6,500 employees and operates in an international research environment.

For an international PhD candidate, the position offers the opportunity to work within a major European technical university while collaborating with researchers and institutions across national borders.

About BRIGHT

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition (BRIGHT) is a major initiative based at DTU that aims to accelerate biosolutions and strengthen the bio-based economy. BRIGHT brings academic and industrial partners together to develop innovative biotechnological solutions. Its research areas include sustainable materials, microbial foods, and microorganisms for net-zero agriculture.

The microbial food programme is particularly relevant to this PhD position because it investigates how microbial technologies can contribute to sustainable and scalable food production while maintaining nutritional and health benefits.

Working and Relocating to Denmark

International applicants are welcome to apply for the PhD position. Candidates moving to Denmark can access DTU resources covering practical matters related to working and living in Denmark. DTU also provides a monthly free seminar focused on PhD relocation to Denmark, where prospective international researchers can learn more about practical aspects of moving to Denmark and starting a PhD at DTU.

Equal Opportunity and Security Requirements

DTU encourages applications from interested candidates regardless of age, gender, disability, race, religion, or ethnic background. Because DTU conducts research involving critical technologies that may be subject to special security and export-control regulations, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates.

Key Details

DetailInformation
Scholarship/Position	PhD Student in Animal Nutrition and Host-Microbe Metabolism
Research Topic	Health impact of microbial foods in vivo
University	Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Research Programme	BRIGHT Mission 2 – Microbial Foods
Location	Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
Job ID	8010
Employment	Full-time, 3 years
Expected Start	1 January 2027 or by mutual agreement
Degree Requirement	Two-year Master’s degree / 120 ECTS equivalent
Relevant Fields	Animal Nutrition, Gut Biology, Microbiome, Metabolism, Food Science
Language	English
Application Format	One PDF file
Application Deadline	27 September 2026, 23:59 Danish time
Assessment Contact	Prof. Morten Sommer
Job Location	Søltofts Plads, Building 220, Kgs. Lyngby, 2800, Denmark

How to Apply:

The complete online application must be submitted no later than 27 September 2026 at 23:59 Danish time. Applicants should submit all application materials in English as one PDF file through the online application system. The application should contain:

1. A motivation letter or cover letter explaining your interest in the PhD.
2. A current curriculum vitae.
3. Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma in English.
4. An official description of the grading scale.
5. One letter of reference, including the referee’s email address and telephone number.

Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Candidates may apply before completing their Master’s degree, but the degree must be awarded before the candidate can start the position.

Application Deadline

Deadline: 27 September 2026, 23:59 Danish time Interested candidates are encouraged to prepare their documents well before the deadline. Since the application must be submitted as a single PDF, applicants should ensure that all required documents are included and clearly organized. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PhD scholarship about?

The PhD project investigates the health and metabolic effects of microbial foods using pre-clinical animal studies. The research focuses on nutrition, microbiome composition and function, gut health, metabolism, and related host responses.

Where is the PhD position located?

The position is located at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.

What degree is required?

Applicants should normally have a two-year Master’s degree equivalent to 120 ECTS credits in animal nutrition, host-microbe metabolism, gut biology, or a related field.

Can I apply before completing my Master’s degree?

Yes. Applicants may apply before receiving their Master’s degree. However, the degree must be completed before the candidate can begin the PhD position.

What research experience is preferred?

Experience with rodent husbandry, microbiome sequencing and analysis, metabolic phenotyping, or related experimental methods would be advantageous. Knowledge of 16S sequencing, shotgun metagenomics, indirect calorimetry, or glucose tolerance testing can strengthen an application.

What is BRIGHT Mission 2?

BRIGHT Mission 2 is a microbial food research programme focused on developing an AI-powered framework for designing microbial foods that can meet targets for consumer acceptance, health, sustainability, and scalability.

How long is the PhD appointment?

The appointment is three years full time.

When is the application deadline?

The application deadline is 27 September 2026 at 23:59 Danish time.

What documents are required?

Applicants must submit a motivation letter, CV, academic transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma, official grading-scale information, and one reference letter with the referee’s contact details. All materials should be combined into one PDF file and submitted online.

Who can I contact about the position?

For additional information about the position, applicants can contact Prof. Morten Sommer at msom@dtu.dk.