PhD positions Immunogenetics

Werkenbijumcg; Groningen; On-site; EUR 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hepatitis B vaccination provided

Job summary

UMCG's Immunogenetics lab is seeking a highly motivated MSc graduate to pursue a PhD in an international, interdisciplinary setting. You will work on genetic and immunological factors in immune-mediated diseases, collaborating with teams in molecular biology, bioinformatics and microbiology.

Excellent English writing and presentation skills are essential, and you should be enthusiastic, curious, and a strong team player ready to contribute to data-driven insights using sequencing-based readouts.

Qualifications

• Recently graduated MSc with background in molecular biology, immunology or biomedical sciences.
• Excellent English writing and presentation skills.
• Must be enthusiastic, ambitious, curious and intrinsically driven to obtain a PhD.
• Team player with good communicative skills and collaboration ability.

Responsibilities

• Support immunogenetics research on genetic, immunologic and environmental factors.
• Contribute to data analysis and NG sequencing readouts.
• Collaborate in interdisciplinary, international projects within the lab.

Skills

Team player

Communication skills

English writing

Presentation skills

Bioinformatics

Education

MSc in Molecular Biology/Immunology/Biomedical Sciences

Tools

Bioinformatics tools

Job description

To delineate the effects of genetic and environmental factors on CeD onset and progression that we have prioritized in our current research lines, we wish to expand on our current model systems to make them more physiologically relevant by including mucosal immunological or microbiome components. We envision that these patient-derived models will inform on the disease-specific barrier function and interactions with intestinal lymphocytes, and the viral or bacterial involvement in disease pathways. Moreover, we have experience with and want to expand on our expertise with CRISPR/Cas9 genetic engineering of genes of interest in our ASC and/or iPSC-derived organoid and intestine-on-chip models, as well as in intestinal tissue-resident lymphocytes. The read-outs will largely be Next Generation Sequencing-based to reveal unbiasedly the consequences of the genetic, immunological or microbial interventions that will be tested as part of the Immunogenetics lab research lines. Because CeD genetics and immunology overlap with that of other complex immune mediated diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), our research is of interest for the broader scientific community and pharmaceutical industry. The Immunogenetics team is looking for two highly motivated colleagues interested in studying the role of genetic, immunologic, and environmental factors on immune-mediated disease in general, and especially in celiac disease (CeD).

We are looking for recently graduated MSc-student with a background in Molecular Biology, Immunology or Biomedical Sciences with a passion for science. You must be enthusiastic, ambitious, curious, and intrinsically driven to obtain a PhD. The research in our Immunogenetics group is highly interdisciplinary and international. Excellent English writing and presentation skills are a must. Our research involves immunology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics, and often multiple people with different skills collaborate on projects. Hence, you must be a teamplayer and have good communicative skills. Ideal candidates have a demonstrable background/specialisation in molecular biology, immunology, and/or microbiology and has affinity for data analysis. The UMCG has a preventive Hepatitis B policy and can provide you with the vaccination, should it be required for your position. I case of specific professions a ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’ is required.