Cell-cycle timing during multicellular development

Description of the project:

Animal development depends on precisely timed cell divisions, which ensure the formation of tissues and organs with specific architectures and functions. As cells differentiate and mature, they need to modify the expression of cell-cycle regulators in order to achieve tissue-specific division patterns. It is largely unknown how cells coordinate cell-cycle gene expression changes with developmental timing and how cell cycles can be altered to give rise to different tissue architectures and organ sizes.

In our group, we have established a unique experimental system to study cell-cycle control in development by integrating advances in single-cell sequencing, tissue-specific protein depletions, and long-term imaging in the nematode species, C. elegans. In this project, we will combine these existing assays with additional innovations to determine the pathways that control the expression of cell-cycle genes during development and the mechanisms that promote tissue-specific patterning of the cell cycle.

We are looking for highly motivated and goal-oriented postdoctoral candidates with expertise in cell biology, genome biology, biophysics, and affiliated fields. The candidate should be fluent in English and be motivated to work in an ambitious, collaborative and international research team.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year with the possibility of an extension for three years after positive evaluation.

According to "CAO-Nederlandse Universiteiten" (CAO-NU), depending on experience scale 10 excluding 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% year-end bonus. We offer an extensive package of fringe benefits.

Location: Utrecht Science Park, the Netherlands.

Hubrecht Institute

The Hubrecht Institute is a research institute focusing on developmental and stem cell biology. It encompasses 24 research groups that perform fundamental and multidisciplinary research, both in healthy systems and disease models. The Hubrecht Institute is a research institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)., located on the Utrecht Science Park 'De Uithof'. Since 2008, the institute has been affiliated with the University Medical Center Utrecht, advancing the translation of research into clinical practice. The Hubrecht Institute has a partnership with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL).