Renal tubulopathies are a group of hereditary disorders affecting the kidney tubule which are affecting approximately 1:20,000 individuals. Despite the use of next-generation sequencing techniques, >30% of patients remain without diagnosis. Moreover, linking variant discovery to functional measurements remains a major challenge in the interpretation of genetic analysis. In this project we will focus specifically on patients with Mg2+ wasting tubulopathies, who suffer from seizures, arrhythmias, muscle cramps, and sometimes intellectual disability and cardiomyopathy. Will you help us?

The heterogeneity of the disease, the absence of patient-specific models, and the difficulties with functional measurements have seriously hampered research into these tubulopathies in the last decades. As the pathophysiology is poorly known, technological advances in this field are essential for the development of therapeutics. In this project, we will develop in vitro and in vivo imaging techniques to study ion transport in the kidney.

In this project, you will:

• Establish novel kidney organoid models to perform live imaging of ion transport in the kidney tubule.
• Perform intravital imaging in mice to study renal ion transport and disease mechanisms of kidney tubulopathies.
• Work in a multidisciplinary team of scientists, clinicians and patients to improve the diagnostics and therapy of patients with tubulopathies.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Design and perform scientific research in the area of cell biology, microscopy and physiology.
• Generates and analyses the data in order to contribute to scientific publications and presents findings at scientific meetings.
• Performs research in a stimulating environment and team.
• Works in an international research group with fellows from many countries.
• Completes the project with a scientific dissertation.

Our ideal PhD candidate is MSc in (Medical) Biology, Biomedical Sciences or Medicine. You are independent and have an well-structured working style. You have ambition to succeed in scientific research.

Furthermore, you recognize yourself in the profile below:

• Certificate to work with animals (Article 9)
• Experience with microscopy and molecular level of thinking.
• Well-developed social skills directed to work in a team.

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. And 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.

• A gross monthly salary between € 2.901 and € 3.677 (scale 10A) based on full-time employment.
• An annual vacation allowance of 8% and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
• If you work irregular hours, you will receive an allowance.
• As a full-time employee (36 hours per week), 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.
• Discount on your supplementary health insurance. You can make use of two collective health insurance policies: UMC Health Insurance and CZ Collective. They offer many extras to stay vital and healthy, such as a prevention budget, workshops, and apps.

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 department of Medical BioSciences provides an international and stimulating working environment and is an exciting place to perform basic research, translational and clinical medicine, and enjoy teaching. The department encompasses complementary research groups whose interests range from cardiovascular disease, molecular regulation of ion transport processes in the kidney to the study of metabolism in the body. Working collaboratively within the department, we use our expertise to investigate how molecules, cells, organisms and humans function and how we might modulate their physiology to ultimately improve health in the patient.

This project will be executed in the Kidney Physiology group and is part of the 3D Biology and Renal Disorders Research Programs within the Radboudumc, a leading multidisciplinary graduate school within the domain of molecular mechanisms of disease and particularly in the fields of molecular medicine, cell biology and translational research.

Radboudumc
Welcome to Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc), where scientific breakthroughs are born through the curiosity and passion of our collaborating researchers in a vibrant environment. We believe trust and excitement are crucial elements to achieving our goals, and we approach our research as teams and with the utmost rigor to make a significant impact on health and healthcare. Our researchers are driven by their fascination with the biological, psychological, and sociological mechanisms underlying health and healthcare. They collaborate with partners from all over the world to improve health outcomes for all. Radboudumc unites patient care, research, education, and corporate learning, which allows us to approach our mission to shape the health and healthcare of the future in an innovative and person-centered way.

Our ambition is to lead the way in the pursuit of prevention, sustainability, meaningful care. We believe that through our research, we can significantly improve the health and well-being of society. Join us on our mission to make a difference in healthcare. Become a part of our community of gifted researchers, professionals or patient partners who are dedicated to making a real impact on population health and healthcare.

Read what it is like to do a PhD at the Radboud University Medical Center.
Read more about working at Radboud university medical center means.