As a PhD student in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Toxicology, you will be involved in the research programme ‘Personalised Therapeutics’. This research programme has a strong emphasis on genetic variability and drugs applied in diseases and particularly in oncology. It aims not only at a better understanding of mechanisms of variable drug efficacy and toxicity, but also at methods readily applicable in the treatment of patients. At the department of Clinical Pharmacy and Toxicology we are at the forefront of implementing pharmacogenetic in clinical practice. However, there is still substantial variation in drug response that remains unexplained. In this PhD project you will work on elucidating factors contributing to a phenomenon called “phenoconversion”. The term is used to describe the mismatch between the genotype and the phenotype to metabolize drugs. Underlying mechanisms that will be investigated involve both drug-drug interactions as well as disease state.

We are looking for a talented, highly motivated candidate with an MSc degree Pharmacy, Biopharmaceutical Sciences and/or Medicine. You are accurate, productive and have a pro-active and results-driven work attitude. You are independent and ambitious, and possess great perseverance and good communication skills in both written and spoken English.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

You will be employed on the basis of a 36-hour week. Appointment should lead to a PhD thesis and is for a maximum duration of four years. Your salary  is € 2,422 gross per month in the first year, progressing to € 3,103 gross per month in the fourth year based on a full time position (scale Pro of the Collective Labor Agreement for University Hospitals).

The Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Toxicology

The Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Toxicology is a large and ambitious hospital pharmacy active in all its core tasks of patient care, education, specialist training and scientific research. The department’s research program ‘Personalized Therapeutics’ aims to identify and implement genetic biomarkers that predict individual drug responses as well as develop innovative drugs. All of the department’s PhD students are also enrolled in the LUMC Graduate School. We have strong collaborations within the LUMC, the Netherlands and internationally. The department coordinates and participates actively in the Leiden Network for Personalized Therapeutics (www.lnpt.nl).