PhD Position in \"Modifying Synapses to Mitigate Alzheimer's Disease\"

Uva; Amsterdam; Hybrid; EUR 38,000 - 49,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ABP pension contribution

Housing support for relocation

PhD training and courses

Job summary

University of Amsterdam (UvA) invites applications for a PhD position in the Memory and Plasticity team to study glutamatergic receptors and engram cells in aging-related cognitive resilience. Work involves rodent models, electrophysiology, chemogenetics, and behavioral interventions within SILS.

You will collaborate with leading groups, contribute to experiments, and disseminate findings at international meetings while pursuing a PhD under the FL active programme.

Qualifications

• Experience with learning and memory research.
• Affinity and experience with performing animal experiments.
• Affinity and experience with common behavioural and/or neurobiological techniques.
• Strong analytical, writing and presenting skills.
• Fluent in English (written and spoken); willingness to learn Dutch.

Responsibilities

• Complete and defend a PhD thesis within four years.
• Contribute to experimental design and data analysis; perform experiments.
• Lead manuscript writing and present results at conferences.
• Mentor students and participate in teaching activities.

Skills

Learning & memory

Animal experiments

Behavioural techniques

Data analysis

Academic writing

English fluency

Dutch learning

Education

MSc in Neuroscience

Tools

Electrophysiology

Chemogenetics

Proteomics

Dendrite reconstruction

Job description

Join us!

Glutamatergic synapses are critical for synaptic plasticity and memory formation. The composition of their receptors can modulate resilience and sensitivity to memory deficits, in particular those induced by amyloid beta (Aβ), a major hallmark of Alzheimer’s Disease. In this project you will investigate whether and how modifying the composition of glutamatergic receptors at synapses, using both molecular tools and behavioral interventions, can reduce age-related cognitive decline and thereby enhance resilience to AD pathology. In addition, you will study the role of engram cell ensembles in this process.

The position is embedded within the Memory and Plasticity team of dr. Harm Krugers at the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam (UvA). This is a collaborative project with Prof. dr. Helmut Kessels (Cellular and Circuit Neuroscience group, UvAmsterdam) and Prof. dr. Paul J Lucassen (Brain Plasticity group, UvAmsterdam). The PhD candidate works in the respective groups where complementary and excellent expertise is available (e.g. electrophysiology will be combined with chemogenetics and behavioral interventions).

This is what you will do

You will use behavioral paradigms to assess learning and memory in a rodent model of AD. You will apply viral technologies to identify and measure the properties of synapses and engram cells and establish their role in memory. These techniques can include electrophysiology, proteomics, dendrite and spine reconstructions, chemogenetics, and memory engram-specific interventions.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• complete and defend a PhD thesis within the official appointment duration of four years;
• gain knowledge of the field through literature, discussions with team members and internal lab meetings;
• contribute to the design of experiments, perform experiments in the lab and analyse and interpret results of these experiments;
• take a leading role in writing manuscripts;
• be an active member of the research teams at both the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (UvA) and present results at (inter)national scientific meetings;
• participate in the Faculty of Science PhD training programme;
• assist in teaching and supervise Bachelor and Master’s students

What we ask of you

You are excited about science and have a particular interest in, and preferably have experience with neurobiological approaches towards learning and memory. You like a challenge and can combine work on preclinical rodent models with techniques like behaviour, electrophysiology, molecular biology and structural analysis. You have good statistical skills and experience with molecular tools and data-analysis. You are a team player and a pleasant colleague who enjoys being part of an interdisciplinary team of scientists. Finally, you have good time management skills enabling you to meet the projects’ deadlines for finishing analyses, reports and other deliverables.

Your experience and profile:

• experience with learning and memory research.
• a MSc degree in Neuroscience or related fields;
• affinity and experience with performing animal experiments;
• affinity and experience with common behavioural and/or neurobiological techniques;
• good analytical, writing and presenting skills;
• fluent in English, both written and spoken and the willingness to learn Dutch (in case not Dutch native speaker)

This is what we offer you

A temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years). The preferred starting date of the project, which should lead to a PhD thesis, is 4 January 2027. We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and master students.

Based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week) the gross monthly salary will range from €3.204 in the first year to €4.051 (scale P) in the last year. This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile PhD candidate applicable. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Besides the salary and a vibrant and challenging environment at Science Park we offer you multiple fringe benefits:

• 232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime);
• multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
• a complete educational program for PhD students;
• a pension at ABP for which UvA pays two third part of the contribution;
• the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
• help with housing for a studio or small apartment when you’re moving from abroad.

You will work in this team

The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

Krugers and Kessels are respectively part of the Brain Plasticity group and the Cellular and Circuit Neuroscience group (at the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS)). SILS is located at the vibrant Amsterdam Science Park. SILS is one of eight institutes of the University of Amsterdam's Faculty of Science (FNWI). With around 240 employees, the Swammerdam Institute carries out internationally high-quality life science research and provides education within various university programs. Research is also carried out in close cooperation with the medical, biotech, chemical, flavor, food & agricultural, and high-tech industries, and revolves around 4 main themes, Cell & Systems biology, Neurosciences, Microbiology and Green Life Sciences.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.

Are you interested in the neurobiological processes of learning and memory, and how we can use this knowledge to make the brain more resilient to the cognitive decline seen in Alzheimer’s disease (AD)? Then this position might be perfect for you. Join us!