We are looking for an enthusiastic and ambitious candidate to study the metabolism of sialic acid in stem cell models of muscle and brain.
Sugar metabolism delivers the building blocks for protein glycosylation. This essential process is believed to be similar in different body organs. Our research on patients with genetic defects in protein N-glycosylation has revealed novel and unexpected evidence for tissue-specific regulatory mechanisms in muscle and brain. In this recently granted prestigious Vici project, we will zoom in on the important sialic acid pathway to uncover regulatory mechanisms in muscle and brain.

We will employ iNeurons and engineered muscle cells as models, derived from patient's induced pluripotent stem cells and via genome editing. We will integrate novel metabolic flux methods for steady state and dynamic analysis of sugar metabolism by mass spectrometry. In addition to identifying novel regulatory mechanisms, we aim to identify novel therapeutic strategies by use of synthetic sugars and molecular genetic approaches. The PhD candidate will work together with a research technician (see vacancy) and more experienced researchers on either stem cell models or metabolic flux analysis.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Generation of stem cell models from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
• Genome editing of iPSCs.
• Physiological and biological assessment of neuronal and muscular model systems.
• Analysis of sugar metabolism with advanced mass spectrometry technologies.
• Therapeutic targeting in the stem cell models.

Tasks will be divided between team members, depending on the specific expertise of the applicants.

Are you an enthusiastic PhD candidate with a strong ambition to succeed in academic research? Are you highly motivated and flexible to work in an interdisciplinary environment? And do you recognize yourself in the following profile? Then you are the candidate we are looking for!

• Proven excellence with academic degree (MSc) in one of the molecular life sciences.
• Experience with induced pluripotent stem cell derived models, genome editing and/or metabolic studies.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

Working at Radboud university medical center means that you are ahead of the curve and working together on the healthcare of the future. But there is more. Our secondary terms of employment are impressive. These are fully tailored to you thanks to our Employment Conditions Selection Model. At Radboud university medical center, you will be given trust, and you will take the responsibility to handle everything together. We provide annual courses, both professional and personal.

• In addition to your monthly salary and an annual vacation allowance of 8%, you will receive an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
• If you work irregular hours, you will receive an allowance (47% or 72%) for this.
• As a full-time employee, you are entitled to approximately 168 vacation hours (over 23 days) per year.
• Radboud university medical center pays 70% of the pension premium. You pay the rest of the premium with your gross salary.
• You get a discount on health insurance as well: you can take advantage of two group health insurance plans. UMC Zorgverzekering and CZ collectief.

The intended start date is 1 July 2021.

In addition to our terms of employment, we also offer employees various other attractive facilities, such as childcare and sports facilities. Want to learn more? Take a look at the Cao UMC.

Radboudumc

The project is embedded in the Radboudumc at the interface of the departments of Neurology, Human Genetics, and the Translational Metabolic Laboratory. Research in these departments is focused on Neurogenetic diseases, aiming for improved diagnosis, better understanding of underlying pathophysiology and development of novel therapeutic strategies. The current positions are in the Lefeber group on "Glycosylation Disorders in Neurology" and will physically be located in the Translational Metabolic Laboratory and Human Genetics. The combined infrastructure is highly innovative including the Radboudumc Technology Center for mass spectrometry (proteomics, glycomics and (sugar)metabolomics) with a wide range of analytical equipment and mass spectrometers, the department of Human Genetics with all modern genomics tools, including next-generation sequencing, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, and the Radboudumc stem cell facility. The research of both groups is embedded in the Donders Institute for Medical Neuroscience which harbors a range of top researchers in the field of neurogenetic disease.

Research Institutes
At the moment there are more than 1,300 PhD candidates at our medical hospital. This number includes PhD candidates on our pay roll as well as external candidates (those employed somewhere else but researching on our premises).

• Radboud Institute for Health Sciences: ± 700
• Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences: ± 400
• Donders Center for Medical Neurosciences: ± 200

Read what it is like to do a PhD at the Radboud University Medical Center.

Radboudumc
Radboud university medical center is a university medical center for patient care, scientific research, and education in Nijmegen. Radboud university medical center strives to be at the forefront of shaping the healthcare of the future. We do this in a person-centered and innovative way, and in close collaboration with our network. We want to have a significant impact on healthcare. We want to improve with each passing day, continuously working towards better healthcare, research, and education. And gaining a better understanding of how diseases arise and how we can prevent, treat, and cure them, day in and day out. This way, every patient always receives the best healthcare, now and in the future. Because that is why we do what we do.

Read more about our strategy and what working at Radboud university medical center means. Our colleagues would be happy to tell you about it. #weareradboudumc.