Job description

We seek a postdoctoral researcher to join an interdisciplinary team working in regenerative medicine. The successful candidate will engage in pre-clinical research related to corneal regeneration.

The cornea is the clear window that lets light into the eye. Worldwide, millions of people are blind in one or both eyes from corneal diseases. Currently, corneal transplantation is the only solution to restore eyesight. With only one donor cornea available for every 70 needed, it is evident that an alternative solution is needed. Our team is working on regenerative therapies that can restore sight and better the lives of patients.

This project is part of a large public–private partnership called EyeSciTe, involving eight academic and industry collaborators (http://www.chemelot-inscite.com/en/project/eyescite). Our team has developed a biomaterial to heal a damaged cornea and our aim in this project is to perform in vitro and in vivo experiments to validate its effect.

Candidates should have a PhD that shows relevant experience in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. We seek the following:

• You must possess a Dutch Article 9 certificate. Please do not apply without one.
• Willingness to work on a pre-clinical trial.
• Molecular biology and biochemical techniques (qPCR, Westerns, IF, etc.).
• Experience with biomaterials will be viewed positively.
• Excellent knowledge of scientific English for speaking, reading, and writing are required. Knowledge of Dutch is not required.

Candidates who do not yet possess a PhD but are expected to finish their thesis shortly are welcome to apply but should clarify the timeline for completion in their cover letter.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

The position is temporary for the duration of 12 months. Depending on experience and qualification, the gross monthly salary is scale 10 (max. € 4.402,-).

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees.

Maastricht University

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 18,000 students and 4,400 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

MERLN Institute

Employer

MERLN houses researchers from across the globe who have successfully navigated the transition of moving to the Netherlands.

The candidate will work in the laboratory of Dr Vanessa LaPointe in the Department of Cell Biology–Inspired Tissue Engineering at the MERLN Institute (www.merlninstitute.com) at Maastricht University. At MERLN, we are a collaborative, international, and interdisciplinary group with diverse expertise, including biomaterials science, chemistry, tissue engineering, and (stem) cell biology. We share newly renovated laboratory facilities with modern equipment. We have a long history as leaders in the field of tissue engineering and are particularly well-known for our orientation towards translational research.

The vacancy is part of a large project recently funded by InSciTe, a public–private institute in the south of the Netherlands composed of universities, private companies, and the Dutch province of Limburg. Together, the partners work to tackle some of the greatest challenges facing our world today: developing sustainable healthcare solutions for chronic diseases, while building a community of researchers and companies to realize health and economic benefits. The candidate will be part of a team comprising academic and industry partners including TU Eindhoven and Royal DSM.