Job TI Food and Nutrition - PhD student in the area of systems biology of gut microbiota SCFA metabolism (Wageningen)

The intestine of mammals is inhabited by a complex microbial community that collectively participates in nutrient digestion and overall mammalian metabolism and biochemistry. Advanced and high throughput tools are available to determine microbial population composition in intestinal samples. Beyond these composition studies, the field of functional analysis of this microbial consortium using metagenomics is rapidly advancing. This PhD position will focus on developing and employing state-of-the-art functional metagenomic tools to study the functional properties of the intestinal microbiota. The interpretation of the results obtained will highlight and compare the metabolic activities of this complex microbial community under different dietary regimes. It will aim to assign functional metabolic pathways to participating microbial groups within the microbiota and elucidate syntrophic relations between individual groups. In collaboration with other members of the project team this position will strive to construct and validate metabolic models for the microbial community residing in the intestine, aiming to predict the metabolic output of the microbiota as a function of microbiota composition and nutrient availability dicated by the diet. These modeling efforts focus on the production capacity of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), but will also encompass other metabolic pathways.

The PhD student will address composition, metabolic potential and in situ activity of the gut microbiota in mice.

• Ms. in Microbiology
• Proven knowledge and interest in Molecular Microbiology & Metabolism, Genomics / Metagenomics and Bioinformatics 
• Preferred knowlegde of Host-Microbe Interactions and Mammalian (Intestinal) Physiology & Cell Biology

A labour contract for 4 years is offered by the University and the work will be carried out within a NCSB/TIFN project.

TI Food and Nutrition is a joint initiative of government, industry and research institutes to strengthen the capacity for innovation and the competitive strength of the food industry. TI Food and Nutrition performs long-term strategic research at the highest level for the development of new and innovated food products with attention to health aspects. This leading institute for Food Sciences gives the Dutch food industry the innovative capacity to meet the challenges of the 21st century

The Netherlands Consortium for Systems Biology (NCSB www.ncsb.nl) implements systems biology as a powerful scientific approach in three major Dutch biological research areas: biomedical research, agricultural biotechnology and microbial biotechnology. The NCSB is financed by NGI (www.genomics.nl) and by the participating knowledge institutes and industry. The Netherlands Consortium for Systems Biology forms part of NGI's Enabling Technologies cluster and also organizes courses for the scientists that participate in projects funded by the NCSB.

For further information contact Dr. Hauke Smidt (hauke.smidt@wur.nl, +31(0)317-483102).

If you want to apply you are asked to submit a Curriculum Vitae, a list of publications and a statement of purpose. These documents shall be sent to: personnel@tifn.nl with the reference number of the vacancy.