Bone defects constitute a major health burden. Current therapies are insufficient, in particular for large defects or if the self-healing capacity is compromised. This is why novel therapies are urgently required. Two PhD positions are currently available at Radboudumc within the framework of the project "RNA4Bone" to develop novel colloidal biomaterials, self-assembled from nanoparticles containing mRNA coding for growth factors to stimulate bone regeneration.

This project is a collaborative effort between the Dept. of Dentistry - Regenerative Biomaterials ( Prof. Dr. Sander Leeuwenburgh ), and the Dept. of Biochemistry ( Prof. Dr. Roland Brock ) of the Radboud University Medical Center. The four-year project is funded through the "Open Technology Program" of the Dutch Science Organization NWO and is supported by four companies in the area of biomaterials and messenger RNA.

The focus of one of the PhD projects will be on the synthesis and characterization of the biomaterials, while the other project will focus on the design, formulation and biological activity of the mRNA. Both PhD students will closely collaborate on the testing of the biomaterials in cellular systems and in animals. By the end of the project we aim to have successfully concluded an in vivo proof-of-concept study.

Tasks and responsibilities

• To synthesize and characterize colloidal biomaterials self-assembled from protein nanoparticles.
• To formulate nanoparticles containing mRNA.
• To study nanoparticle internalization into different cell types.
• To study the bone-regenerative capacity of colloidal biomaterials comprising mRNA both in vitro and in vivo.
• To supervise MSc and BSc students and disseminate the obtained knowledge by scientific publications and presentations at (inter)national conferences, with the ultimate aim to finalize and publicly defend a PhD-thesis.

• Candidates should hold a master's degree in the field of molecular life sciences or materials science/chemistry.
• Candidates should have experience in at least any two of the following areas: biomaterials, synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles, molecular biology, cell culture, fluorescence microscopy.
• We expect the ambition to work in an interdisciplinary project, the willingness to conduct animal experiments, highly developed communication and presentation skills, and the ability to take the initiative and work independently.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

Upon commencement of employment we require a certificate of conduct (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag, VOG) and there will be, depending on the type of job, a screening based on the provided cv. Radboud university medical center's HR Department will apply for this certificate on your behalf.

Read more about the Radboudumc employment conditions and what our International Office can do for you when moving to the Netherlands.

Radboudumc

Radboudumc
Radboudumc strives to be a leading developer of sustainable, innovative and affordable healthcare to improve the health and wellbeing of people and society in the Netherlands and beyond. This is the core of our mission: To have a significant impact on healthcare. To get a better picture of what this entails, check out our strategy.

Read more about what it means to work at Radboudumc and how you can do your part.