Fascinated by the complexity of biological systems, Eva Sofie Bovbjerg will utilise the pre-PhD year to further explore her interests within molecular neuroscience and neuropharmacology – and find a project that sparks her curiosity.
Eva Sofie Bovbjerg obtained her master’s degree in Molecular Biology from Aarhus University in 2025. Her scientific interests lie within neuropharmacology, and she is especially drawn to understanding how critical periods and neuroplasticity are influenced by substances such as psychoactive drugs. She is still, however, very open to inspiration, and her main goal for the pre-PhD year is to explore:
“I would like to experience different research environments and supervision styles, but also just meet people and get inspired. I’m very excited to gain hands-on experience with new techniques and to explore the various scales at which you can tackle a question, ranging from biophysics to preclinical studies. I really like that the NAD PhD programme allows you to be curious and try things out before committing to a project. This makes me feel more confident that I will choose a direction that fits me well and allows me to develop as a researcher. I think it is important to find a project that sparks your curiosity, wherever that leads you,” she explains.
It was also pure curiosity that led Eva to neuroscience – a curiosity that only grew the more she learned. Gaining more independent research experience and interacting with the research community inspired her to pursue a PhD.
Eva will spend her first rotation in the Løland Lab at the University of Copenhagen, where she will deepen her knowledge of biophysical characterization of binding interactions relevant for neuropharmacology. Her project will be to elucidate conformational changes in neurotransmitter transporters following their interactions with drugs such as cocaine and amphetamine.