Postdoctoral Fellow at Ghent University: Join the inter-university VLIR-IBOF project entitled ‘MINDFUL: MIcroglia directed NeuroDegeneration FUeled by Lipid metabolism’ at Ghent University. This position offers an opportunity to advance research in neural organoid models and explore the role of lipid metabolism in neurodegenerative diseases.
Designation: Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Area: Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Biomedical Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Bioscience Engineering, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Organoid Technology
Location:
Medical Research Building (MRB1), Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG) & Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials Lab, Ghent University Hospital (UZ Gent), Corneel Heymanslaan 10, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Eligibility/Qualification:
- Degree: PhD in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Biomedical Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Bioscience Engineering, Biophotonics, Bioinformatics or equivalent.
- Experience: Research experience in neurodegenerative diseases, organoid technology, iPSC-derived tissue culture, and familiarity with microglia, ALzheimer’s Disease (AD), or Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
- Skills: Basic bioinformatics skills, live microscopy, fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), next-generation sequencing, and excellent communication skills in English.
- Other: Candidates are expected to show initiative, teamwork, supervisory experience, and possess analytical problem-solving abilities.
- Eligibility to apply for MSCA-postdoctoral fellowship and FWO postdoctoral research funding.
Job Description:
The successful candidate will engage in:
- Setting up iPSC-derived human neural organoid models mimicking neural-microglia interactions.
- Establishing FLIM techniques and analysis pipelines for monitoring neuronal functions and integrating various advanced techniques such as transcriptomics and mass spectrometry imaging.
- Co-supervising a PhD student.
- Participating in obtaining external funding opportunities.
- Contributing to teaching and organizing conferences as part of their role.
Duration: The initial contract is for one year, with the possibility of extension to two years based on performance.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a CV, a motivation letter (maximum 1 page), and the email addresses of two potential referees electronically to both prof. Ruslan Dmitriev at ruslan.dmitriev@ugent.be and prof. Sarah Vergult at sarah.vergult@ugent.be.
Last Date to Apply: June 23, 2025
Join us in our quest to understand and combat neurodegenerative diseases and to contribute to cutting-edge research in an internationally recognized consortium.
