In collaboration with Agroscope at the Federal Office of Agriculture in Switzerland, we are offering a PhD position in the field of biomarkers, metabolomics and human nutrition.
The PhD thesis is a will be centered on the Cardioferment project which objective is to associate acute markers of intake of fermented foods with cardiometabolic factors in a real-life observational cohort. The project will use existing data from a series of short-term human intervention studies with dairy products (acute and two-week) in which putative biomarkers of fermented dairy foods have been established. The Cardioferment project will validate these data in a prospective cohort nutritional study "Nutrition Questionnaire plus" (NQplus), an ongoing longitudinal study on diet and health in the Netherlands following 2,048 men and women. The NQplus cohort is characterized by multiple dietary assessments as well as anthropometric, cardiometabolic, blood and urine measurements.
The Cardioferment project will encompass: (i) the analysis of the dietary patterns of the NQplus study participants, focusing on consumption of fermented foods/ fermented dairy products, (ii) the association of anthropometric measures and cardiometabolic markers to dietary patterns, and (iii) urine and serum metabolomics on a selected number of participants by GC-MS and LC-MS.
The PhD will use the metabolomics data to confirm biomarkers of food intake before investigating nutritional biomarkers of health, by associating biomarkers of the intake of fermented foods and fermented dairy products with anthropomorphic and cardiometabolic measures of the NQplus cohort. Part of the work will take place in Bern, Switzerland at Agroscope.

For this international collaborative project we are looking for a PhD student who will use metabolomics data to confirm biomarkers of food intake, before investigating nutritional biomarkers of health.
We are looking for enthusiastic and highly motivated candidates with:

• A MSc degree (or equivalent) in nutritional, biological/biomedical or food sciences
• Preferably with knowledge of bioinformatics analysis including R programming,
• Strong interest in data analysis and multidisciplinary work
• Ability to work in an independent manner and being flexible with regard to working environment
• Excellent research and writing skills
• Good command of English; good knowledge of German is an asset

We offer you a temporary position for a period of 1.5 years with extension of maximum 2.5 years after successful evaluation. Gross salary per month € 2222,- in the first year rising up to € 2840,- per month in the fourth year.

We not only offer a competitive salary but also good (study) leave and a pension of the ABP Pension Fund.

Wageningen University & Research

The Agrotechnology & Food Sciences Group is part of Wageningen University & Research, an organisation that brings together fundamental and applied scientific research. We work on creating 'healthy food in a biobased society' with private sector companies, research institutes and government agencies in the Netherlands and abroad. Our innovations play a crucial role in solving the major issues which affect society today. Entrepreneurship and professionalism are key in all that we do. In short, we are a major international employer offering considerable potential for your career.

Wageningen University & Research
Delivering a substantial contribution to the quality of life. That's our focus - each and every day. Within our domain of good and safe food & food production, food security and a healthy living environment, we search for answers to issues affecting society - such as sustainable food production, climate change and alternative energy. Of course, we don't do this alone. Every day, 5000 people work on 'the quality of life', turning ideas into reality, on a global scale.

Could you be one of these people? We give you the space you need.

For further information about working at Wageningen University & Research, take a look at:
https://www.wur.nl/en/Jobs.htm

Acquisition regarding this vacancy is not appreciated.