Postdoc Multilayer Networks in Neuro-oncology

Amsterdam UMC; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12-month contract with potential for 2

8.3% end-of-year bonus

Public transport reimbursement

Mileage allowance €0.21/km

Bike scheme

BeFrank pension

Video about role

Job summary

Amsterdam UMC Research BV in Amsterdam is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to develop integrated network models that bridge molecular data with brain imaging and cognition. You will identify targets driving cognitive decline and contribute to personalized therapeutic strategies.

The role sits within the MULTINET lab and the ADORE Biocomputational Focus group, offering collaboration across neuroscience, clinical research, and data science.

Qualifications

• PhD in AI, mathematics, bioinformatics, or related discipline.
• Experience developing and implementing computational methods.
• Strong Python programming skills.
• Ability to communicate complex ideas clearly to non-specialists.
• Excellent written and verbal English.
• Self-motivated and able to work in a multidisciplinary environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop integrated network models combining molecular data with brain imaging.
• Identify molecular and network targets driving cognitive decline.
• Collaborate with neuroscientists, neurologists and data scientists.
• Contribute to precision medicine approaches and personalized interventions.
• Apply multilayer network theory to bridge scales from molecules to cognition.

Skills

PhD in AI, mathematics, bioinformatics

Computational methods development

Python programming

Clear communication to non-specialists

Excellent English language skills

Self-motivated, multidisciplinary work

Education

PhD in AI, mathematics, bioinformatics, or related discipline

Tools

Python

Job description

Micro to macro: integrating neurobiological data through multilayer network analysis. Are you curious? Continue reading!

Are you ready to help transform how we understand and treat oncological and neurological diseases? We are seeking an ambitious postdoctoral researcher to join a groundbreaking project that aims to bridge the biological scales of disease, from molecules to brain networks to cognition.

In neurodegenerative and oncological diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and glioma, early cellular and molecular changes eventually lead to brain network disruptions and cognitive decline. However, connecting these dots across levels of biology remains one of the greatest challenges in modern neuroscience. Our project addresses this challenge head-on, using multilayer network theory: an exciting analytical framework that allows us to model, quantify, and understand interactions within and between different biological scales.

You will work at the forefront of this innovation, developing integrated network models that combine proteomic data (molecular scale) with brain network imaging (systems scale). Your goal is to identify the critical molecular and network targets that drive cognitive decline and, ultimately, to uncover new strategies for personalized therapeutic intervention. We already have a strong foundation for this goal: a toolbox that is data-type agnostic, that integrates across different network levels.

This project sits at the intersection of computational neuroscience, systems biology, and clinical research. You will have access to rich multimodal datasets and will collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team of neuroscientists, neurologists, and data scientists. If you are passionate about systems neuroscience, precision medicine, and innovative computational methods, and want to make a real impact on the future of research in this space, we would love to hear from you.

• You hold a PhD in artificial intelligence, mathematics, bioinformatics, or a closely related discipline;
• You have experience in developing and implementing computational methods;
• You have strong programming skills, preferably in Python;
• You can communicate complex ideas clearly to non-specialists;
• You have excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, are self-motivated, and can work effectively in a multidisciplinary environment.
• You will be employed by Amsterdam UMC Research BV.
• A 12-month contract, with the intention to extend it to two years.
• Inschaling in salarisschaal 10: € 3.724 tot € 5.867 bruto bij een fulltime dienstverband (afhankelijk van ervaring). Daarnaast ontvang je 8,3% eindejaarsuitkering. Bereken hier jouw netto salaris.
• Holiday hours: 194.4 per year for full time and a possibility to save additional hours.
• 100% reimbursement for public transport travel costs. If you travel by foot, bicycle, or car, a mileage allowance of €0.21 per km applies (up to a maximum of 40 km one way by car).
• Do you prefer walking or cycling? Take advantage of our good bike scheme.
• Pension accrual with BeFrank, a modern, comprehensible and fairly priced pension.

Watch this video with more information about joining Amsterdam UMC Research BV.

You will join the Multiscale Network Neuroscience (MULTINET) lab, where we aim to improve outcomes for patients with glioma and other conditions by understanding and leveraging personalized multiscale network data. Our multidisciplinary team focuses on three main goals: (1) embracing the complexity of brain networks by studying different populations with diverse methods; (2) integrating data across scales, from cells to brain networks to behavior, to uncover how local brain changes cause large-scale network disruptions in disease; and (3) predicting and treating clinical outcomes across brain tumors and other neurological or psychiatric conditions, focusing on shared symptoms like cognitive and physical impairments. We combine computational modeling, brain stimulation (TMS), and cellular experiments to reveal disease mechanisms and drive new treatments.

You are also part of the ADORE Biocomputational Focus group, which unites Amsterdam UMC biocomputational researchers who develop and apply computational methods relevant to onco- and neurological applications.

Amsterdam UMC Research BV Amsterdam UMC Research BV supports non-profit scientific research. In doing so, we provide researchers with everything they need to excel. Our principal investigators (PIs) and project leaders offer support in the field of project management, finance and human resources. In medical scientific research projects, legal support is also provided.

Watch the video to find out more.

The first round of interviews is scheduled for first week of December.

If you have any questions about this position, please feel free to contact prof. dr. Linda Douw, project lead, at [e-mail].

A reference check, screening and hiring assessment may be part of the procedure. Read here whether that applies to you. If you join us, we ask you for a VOG (Certificate of Good Conduct).

Internal candidates will be given priority over external candidates in case of equal suitability.

Acquisition in response to this vacancy will not be considered.