Vacancies for Academic Staff
On this page you will find vacancies for Academic Staff. Only vacancies in English are shown. For a complete list of all vacancies currently open at the university, please consult the vacancy pages in Dutch.
Didn't find what you were looking for? Save your search and create a job alert on the online application module to be automatically notified of interesting future job openings.More information can be found here.
Department: Vaccine & infectious disease institute
Regime Full-time
Let’s shape the future - University of Antwerp
The University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking, European university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20000 students, conduct pioneering scientific research and play an important service-providing role in society. We are one of the largest, most international and most innovative employers in the region. With more than 6000 employees from 100 different countries, we are helping to build tomorrow's world every day. Through top scientific research, we push back boundaries and set a course for the future – a future that you can help to shape.
The Department of Laboratory of Experimental Hematology in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is looking for a full-time (100%) doctoral scholarship holder in the field of “Exploring the therapeutic potential of perinatal cell SECRETomes”, within the context of the recently approved Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN) SECRET.
Position
- Hosting Research Group: You will be working as PhD researcher in the NeuroInflammation and Regeneration Research Group of the Laboratory of Experimental Hematology under supervision of prof. Peter Ponsaerts. https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/staff/peter-ponsaerts/
- Background: Neuroinflammation is a common feature of many neurological disorders, whose main players are activated microglia, astrocytes and infiltrating peripheral immune cells. From an experimental point of view, the study of neuro-inflammation, as well as the pre-clinical validation of novel immune-modulatory and regeneration-inducing therapies, is commonly performed in rodent animal models. Given the world-wide recognition that efforts should be made to reduce animal experiments for ethical, scientific and practical reasons, there is an unmet need for the development, validation and application of novel pre-clinical screening tools before moving towards animal studies and/or human clinical trials. In this context, immune-competent 3D brain models, such as organoids and spheroids, are emerging in vitro tools that offer a more complex and realistic representation of the in vivo neural environment as compared to classical 2D cell co-cultures. At current, there is compelling evidence that stem cell-derived neurospheroids (NSPHs) outperform 2D cell co-cultures in terms of 3D architecture, cell heterogeneity, cell-cell interactions, gene expression, phenotypic profile, response to inflammatory stress and drug response. As such, it is clear that deep phenotypic and functional profiling of NSPHs using a complementary toolbox consisting of live cell imaging, electrophysiology, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics is essential within the SECRET consortium to perform in-depth studies with regard to the regenerative properties of perinatal cell-derived secretomes.
- Objective: In this PhD project, you will apply human iPSC-derived tri-partite NSPHs, containing neurons, astrocytes and microglia, that are subjected to cellular stress (by means of pro-inflammatory stimuli or oxygen/glucose deprivation) to evaluate the therapeutic potential of different perinatal cell-derived secretomes in terms of immunomodulatory and/or neuro-protective/regenerative capacity. To investigate this topic, you will apply our continuously expanding NSPH interrogation toolbox, including live-cell Ca-imaging and multi-electrode array recordings (to determine electrophysiological network behaviour), multi-omics analyses (including transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics), as well as intensive microscopic imaging (to validate multi-omics findings).
- Expected results: These studies should: (i) allow the candidate to perform in-depth studies with regard to the therapeutic mode-of-action of perinatal cell-derived secretome(s), and (ii) allow the SECRET consortium to identify the most potent perinatal cell-derived secretome(s) to be applied in subsequent in vivo studies.
- Secondments: Proteomic and metabolomic analyses of hiPSC-derived NSPHs will be performed during a secondment at the Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST) at the University of G. d'Annunzio Chieti (Italy) under supervision of prof. Damiana Pieragostino and prof. Piero Del Boccio. Single cell RNA-sequencing of hiPSC-derived NSPHs will be performed during a secondment at the Academic Medical Centre (AMC) of the University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) under supervision of Dr. Monika Gladka.
Profile
- You hold a Master degree in Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Biology, Pharmacy, (Bio)Medicine, Bio-engineering, or an equivalent discipline or you will have obtained it by the time you start work.
- You can demonstrate excellent study results.
- Your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision.
- Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
- You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.
- You have not resided in Belgium for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the recruitment date (and not have carried out your main activity - work, studies, etc. - in Belgium).
- You are fluent in academic English (speaking and writing).
- Expertise with cell culture (hiPSC-derived neuronal models) and/or electrophysiology (live cell Ca-imaging and/or multi-electrode arrays) and/or multi-omics analyses (transcriptomics, proteomics and/or metabolomics) will be highly appreciated.
What we offer
- We offer a doctoral scholarship for a period of three years (funded by MCSA-DN SECRET; Salary according to EU guidelines for Marie Sk?odowska Curie trainees, including mobility payments and family allowances where applicable) + one year (funded by the BOF of the University of Antwerp; the monthly scholarship amount is calculated according to the scholarship amounts for doctoral scholarship holders.)
- You will receive ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance, and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
- The planned start date is at the latest February 2025.
- You will do most of your work at Campus Drie Eiken in a dynamic and stimulating working environment.
- Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here.
Want to apply?
- You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp's online job application platform up to and including Monday, September 30th 2024 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on the 'Apply' button, complete the online application form and be sure to include the following attachments in pdf format:
- a motivation letter,
- your CV,
- a 2-page summary of your master thesis,
- a transcript of your study results and
- the names and contact details of two references.
- The selection committee reviews all applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision is made, we will notify you. If you are still eligible after the pre-selection, you will be informed about the possible next step(s) in the selection procedure (exact date will be discussed upon availability).
- If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to jobs@uantwerpen.be. For questions about the profile and the description of duties, please contact prof. Peter Ponsaerts. (peter.ponsaerts@uantwerpen.be).
The University of Antwerp received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family-friendly organisation which invests in its employees’ growth. We encourage diversity and attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply.