MSc Thesis Project: Data-driven patient stratification in COPD using novel ECM biomarkers

We are looking for a bioinformatics master’s student to join the pulmonary team at Nordic Bioscience to explore endotypes in chronic lung diseases.
Project description
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the 3rd leading cause of death worldwide with no identified cure. Traditionally treated as a homogeneous disease, COPDs varying causal pathways have led to unsuccessful clinical trials.

This project will use data from the ECLIPSE cohort, including novel in-house extracellular matrix (ECM) biomarkers, multi-omics, and clinical data. Investigating these data types, the goal of the project is to identify existing endotypes to help stratify COPD patients and potentially enrich clinical trial recruitment.

The student will have the opportunity to work with real medical data alongside experienced scientists, contributing to impactful discoveries for industrial decision-making. Additionally, there will be opportunities for co-authorship of publication(s) with the potential for first authorship.

Methods
Several approaches can be used to analyse the data, ranging from basic statistical methods to more advanced machine learning (ML) to identify patterns and complex changes.

Depending on the initial findings of the project, the student may apply either: Supervised ML models, like classification or regression, to predict outcomes from labelled data, or unsupervised ML methods, such as clustering, to uncover natural groupings or patient subtypes.

The student will also familiarize themselves with data transformation, feature engineering, and dimensionality reduction techniques to optimize raw data for ML models.

Student’s qualifications
The ideal master’s student studies bioinformatics, data science, or related fields with big data and programming experience. Knowledge of R or Python is required, along with a strong interest in machine learning techniques.

The pulmonary team
The pulmonary research team is a small, diverse group of PhD students, scientists, and technicians focused on ECM remodelling in chronic lung diseases. Based in the fibrosis department at Nordic Bioscience, we aim to develop new tools to improve patient care and support drug development.

We offer a friendly, collaborative environment with strong social engagement. Your day-to-day supervisor will be our bioinformatics PhD student, Line, and you’ll interact regularly with the R&D team through group meetings, paperjams, and scientific dinners. Several other master’s students and social events like Friday bars create a lively student community at Nordic Bioscience.

Are you interested?
If you're interested in doing your master’s thesis project at Nordic Bioscience, please apply through our recruitment system. We encourage early applications and no later than 4 May 2025, as selected candidates will be invited for interviews on an ongoing basis, and therefore the application process may close early.

Your application should include a few motivational lines about yourself, a transcript of grades, and your CV. If you have any questions, please contact PhD student Line Egerod Lund (lelu@nordicbio.com).

The project is expected to start in August/September, but the start date is flexible. The project has a scope equivalent to 30–35 ECTS credits.

Department: Herlev Hovedgade 205 - 207 2730 Herlev

Location: Herlev

Application deadline: 04 May 2025