Approximately 10% of children in western countries is affected with asthma and the prevalence is increasing. In many cases house-dust-mite allergy underlies asthma development, and chronic airway inflammation and hyperreactivity contribute to asthma severity. Asthma medication focuses on symptom relieve and corticosteroids are used to control inflammation. Unfortunately corticosteroid resistance is affecting more than 10% of patients. Novel scientific insights indicate that altered composition (dysbiosis) of the gut and lung bacterial community (microbiota) in early life enhances asthma susceptibility. Bacterial fermentation products (short chain fatty acids) may contribute to this immunomodulatory effect and change the epigenome of a.o. immune and epithelial cells.

We offer a PhD position for a curiosity driven candidate in this Longfonds/TKI-LSH funded project. The research builds on our previous findings that dietary non-digestible oligosaccharides suppress airway inflammation and enhance corticosteroid efficacy. In this PhD project we will address not only how a combination of specific fermentable fiber and beneficial bacteria can prevent and/or treat allergic asthma, but also if this can inhibit corticosteroid resistance via modifications of the microbiome and epigenome.

The PhD candidate will be appointed at the Division of Pharmacology of Utrecht University and perform pre-clinical studies and use in vitro models with human bronchial epithelial cells. In-depth characterization of immune processes, and analysis of the intestinal and pulmonary microbiome is part of the programme. Within this project we closely collaborate with the group of Pulmonary Medicine of the Erasmus University Medical Centre Rotterdam and Nutricia Research B.V. in Utrecht. In a unique  translational research approach epigenetic changes associated with dietary intervention will be performed in both  pre-clinical samples as well as clinical samples of allergic infants.

The PhD candidate will therefore be the key in an interdisciplinary team working on the effects of diet and microbiome in asthma. The ultimate goal of the project is to pave the way for future clinical studies to prevent or treat asthma in children. If you are interested to step in this challenging highly innovative opportunity to study how microbiome modulation by specific dietary fermentable fibers affects immune function and may protect against allergic asthma, please feel free to apply.

• Master's in Biomedical Health Sciences, Infection and Immunity, Drug Innovation;
• skilled in immunology and immunological and molecular techniques e.g., FACS, ELISAs, Luminex, qPCR, western blotting;
• experience with animal handling and having art. 9 is a pré;
• team player with good communication skills;
• excellent skills in scientific writing in English.

• A PhD position for 4 years to perform research, write and defend a thesis in order to obtain the title of Doctor, starting as soon as possible;
• A full-time gross salary that starts at €2,395 and increases to €3,061 per month in the fourth year (scale P of the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities (cao));
• Benefits including 8% holiday bonus and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
• A pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible employment conditions based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities.

In addition to the employment conditions laid down in the cao for Dutch Universities, Utrecht University has a number of its own arrangements. For example, there are agreements on professional development, leave arrangements and sports. We also give you the opportunity to expand your terms of employment yourself via the Employment Conditions Selection Model. This is how we like to encourage you to continue to grow.

More information about working at the Faculty of Science can be found here.

The research will be performed at the Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS) in the group of Pharmacology, located in the David de Wied Building at the Utrecht University Campus. The Pharmacology group focuses on basic mechanisms underlying non-communicable disorders (NCD) and their pharmacological manipulations via drugs, biologicals and/or medical food components. The group is interested in diseases of the gut, lung, brain and kidney and focuses on the interconnections between these organ systems in state-of-the-art in vitro and in vivo models. Dr Linette Willemsen (group Prof Johan Garssen) and Prof Gert Folkerts study modification of allergic and airway diseases using dietary components. The research topics are embedded in the education tracks of the School of Pharmacy and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, hence offering the opportunity for many BSc and MSc students to do their internships or writing assignments.

At the Faculty of Science there are 6 departments to make a fundamental connection with: Biology, Chemistry, Information and Computing Sciences, Mathematics, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Physics. Within each department there are distinct institutes which focus on answering some of humanity’s most pressing problems. More fundamental still are the individual research groups – the building blocks of our ambitious scientific projects. 

Utrecht University is a friendly and ambitious university at the heart of an ancient city. We love to welcome new scientists to our city – a thriving cultural hub that is consistently rated as one of the world’s happiest cities. We are renowned for our innovative interdisciplinary research and our emphasis on inspirational research and excellent education. We are equally well-known for our familiar atmosphere and the can-do attitude of our people. This fundamental connection attracts Researchers, Professors and PhD candidates from all over the globe, making both the university and the Faculty of Science a vibrant international and wonderfully diverse community.