Associate Investigators at the Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), Nordic EMBL partnership, University of Oslo.

The Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM) was established in 2007 as a national partnership institution with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory together with similar centres in Sweden and Finland under the Nordic EMBL Partnership. NCMM is inaugurated as joint venture between the University of Oslo as host, the Research Council of Norway and Health Region South East.

The overall objective of NCMM is to facilitate translation of discoveries in basic medical research into clinical practice. NCMM will focus particularly on disease mechanisms where Norway has clear strengths and will investigate mechanisms of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular and CNS-related disease and immune disorders. The Nordic EMBL partnership aims to exploit emerging technologies as part of a process towards molecular and personalized medicine and will capitalize on synergies within the Nordic region. NCMM will develop and adapt technologies for personalized medical applications and will be expected to unravel new diagnostic methods and drug targets. NCMM is also a partner in the EU-ESFRI project European Advanced Translational Infrastructure planning the future of translational research in Europe. NCMM has three founding partners (O.P. Ottersen, K. Taskén, S. Krauss) and are currently in the process of hiring the first two new group leaders (Dr. Ian Mills; Dr. Erlend Nagelhus) of a total of 5-6 that will be hired during the next 2 - 3 years.

Besides a major effort in recruiting international scientists to set up new groups in Norway, NCMM wants to develop its scientific and technological capabilities by establishing strong collaborative links with key scientists and research groups working across Norway facilitating translational networking in Norway. This call for proposals is directed towards the appointment of Associate Investigators in molecular and translational medicine. The Associate Investigator category is meant for outstanding senior or younger scientists who are currently based in Norway, whose expertise is compatible with the NCMM research areas and who are interested in collaborating with NCMM and in contributing to the building of an NCMM Molecular Medicine and Translational Research Network. Associate Investigators will continue working at their host institutions, and will be credited an affiliation to NCMM. Nominations will be made for three years and will be renewable and we anticipate rotating calls approximately every 18 months.

NCMM is therefore seeking outstanding candidates for up to approximately ten positions in this first call for:

NCMM Associate Investigators

• Both internationally known top scientists and scientific leaders with a track record and research focus in molecular medicine and more junior faculty with outstanding potential in this field are invited to apply. The successfully affiliated group leaders will enjoy the following benefits:
- Status as an Associated Investigator in the Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine;
- Affiliation with NCMM with the option to contribute to NCMM scientific strategies, planning, and priorities;
- Access to a translational network and infrastructures in NCMM and in the Nordic EMBL Partnership; and
- Eligibility for translational funds for collaboration with NCMM group leaders made available by the Board.
• Applications for Associate Investigator status will be reviewed by an evaluation committee, appointed by the NMCC Board. Criteria for recruitment will be one or more of the following: i) Excellence in molecular medicine; ii) Translational merits and ability to build networks that bridge from basic science to clinical medicine; iii) Scientific profile compatible with and/or bringing novel elements to the scientific, technological and translational mission of NCMM; and iv) Added value and synergism in interaction with present and future NCMM investigators.
• Applicants should submit an electronic application with an overview of translational/molecular medicine research activities and opening for collaborations with NCMM (max 3 pages) and include their CV, and list of publications (max 10 from the last 5 years).
• For further information please contact Director, Professor Kjetil Taskén or Chair of the Board, Professor Ragnhild A. Lothe or visit our website for details. Applications should be addressed to the Director of NCMM and sent electronically as a single pdf-file to the Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway at recruitment@ncmm.uio.no to arrive no later than September 4, 2009 marked REF. NCMM Associate Investigator.