Individualized drug testing in vitro is an urgently needed tool to aid personalized medicine. Such a model should be able to trace the chemical transformations of drugs and mimic the mechanical, structural, absorptive, transport and pharmaceutical properties of drugs along the microbe-gut-liver axis. Linked gut-on-a- chip and liver-on-a-chip systems that mimic metabolically critical physiological functions have been recognized to be more effective than static mono-organ-on-a-chip systems. The iPSC-based gut- and liver-on-a-chip is currently developed in the lab. This project aims to use the developed system to test individual response to drugs, microbiome-derived drug metabolites, and other metabolites.

Reference
- Doestzada et al. Pharmacomicrobiomics: a novel route towards personalized medicine? Protein & Cell (2018) 432–445.

This project is funded by the ERC-CoG project BugDrug and has a close link to the NWO gravitation project, Netherlands Organ-on-a-chip Initiative (NOCI) and the microbiome research group. We have an enthusiastic team. The Department of Genetics at the University Medical Center Groningen is an energetic, dynamic and international environment with state-of-the-art laboratory and computing technology.

A full-time PhD contract for 4 years and an excellent environment for further development. First, a temporary one-year position will be offered with the option of renewal for another 3 years. Your salary will be a minimum of € 2.495,- gross per month in the first year and a maximum of € 3.196,- (scale PhD) in the final (4th) year, based on a full-time appointment. Or a full-time postdoc contract for 3 years and an excellent environment for further development. Your salary will be a maximum of € 4.615,- gross per month (scale 10), depending on your qualifications and relevant experience, based on a full-time appointment. In addition, the UMCG will offer you 8% holiday pay, and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centres (CAO-UMC). English: http://www.nfu.nl/english/about-the-nfu/

More information
For more information, please contact:
- Prof. dr. Jingyuan Fu, e-mail address: j.fu@umcg.nl
- Dr. Sebo Withoff, e-mail address: s.withoff@umcg.nl

The Department of Genetics

PhD students/postdocs working on these projects will be expected to:
- have an MSc degree (for PhD) or PhD degree (for postdoc) in cellular biology, molecular biology, pharmacology, biochemistry, biomedical science, genomics, or related fields.
- have experience with iPSC cells, organ-on-a-chip or organoids are highly appreciated.
- be highly motivated and can work independently.
- have excellent communication skills in English, orally and writing.
- be a team player.