PhD Position: BIO-COMPaSS Project, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands

Summary

The BIO-COMPaSS project at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is offering an exciting PhD position focused on investigating how biological age can be modified through lifestyle choices and its implications for health. The candidate will utilize large datasets and biomarkers to contribute to the understanding of healthy ageing.

PhD Position: BIO-COMPaSS Project Scholarship, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands

Designation

PhD Candidate

Field	Details
Research Area	Ageing Research, Biomarkers, Lifestyle
Location	Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands
Eligibility/Qualification	MSc in relevant fields (e.g., Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, etc.)
Last Date to Apply	18-05-2026

Research Area

The focus is on exploring biomarkers of biological age, their responsiveness to lifestyle changes, and their role in health and healthy ageing.

Eligibility/Qualification

• MSc degree (research master) in relevant fields (Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, etc.)
• Coursework in programming, omics data, advanced statistics, and causal inference.
• Strong affinity for ageing and biomarker research.
• Proficient in statistical software (e.g., R).
• Experience with high-dimensional OMICs data analysis.
• Experience with twin family data preferred.
• Excellent communication skills in English; Dutch language skills preferred.

Job Description

• Analyze large-scale biomarkers datasets to assess population-level associations between biological age, lifestyle, and health.
• Implement causal modeling using data from twins to explore relationships between lifestyle factors, biomarkers, and healthy ageing.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of researchers from various universities and institutions.
• Contribute to data collection and the analysis of novel biomarkers.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their applications online through the university’s official website. Applications received via email will not be considered.

Contact for Queries:
For questions regarding the vacancy, contact Dr. Jenny van Dongen at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Last Date to Apply

18-05-2026

Link