Cartilage cells in joints experience mechanical loading during daily activity, but this is difficult to study in cell culture models. Together with chiron, a leader in tissue on-chip technologies, you will investigate how cartilage cells respond to external forces in a joint-ona-chip and determine how this affects the protein factories (ribosomes) in the cell without the use of laboratory animals.

In the Netherlands, 1.5 million people suffer from the disabling disease osteoarthritis. There is no cure for osteoarthritis and the end-stage of the disease is treated by joint replacement surgery. Joint-on-chip technology will help us to investigate how human cells respond in a human environment to mechanical loading. To avoid the use of animals for this research, we will use freshly isolated human cartilage cells from orthopedic surgical waste material and culture these cells in human joint fluid. Next, we will establish how cells and their protein factories respond to standard mechanical loading. Finally, we will use those results to
optimize the cell health status using different mechanical loading regimes. Ultimately, this project is expected to reveal how movement can be used to stop or slow down osteoarthritis disease progression.

This project is a collaborative project between Dr. Guus van den Akker (MCB lab), chiron on chip technologies and Stichting Proefdiervrij. You will be embedded in the MCB group in the Laboratory for Experimental Orthopedic, at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, headed by Prof. Tim Welting at Maastricht University.

• You hold a Bachelor of Applied Sciences or BSc degree in Biomedical Sciences;
• Experience with in vitro cell culture;
• You are hands-on and willing to learn, adapt, and be receptive to feedback;
• You are excited to work in a project team and support your colleagues within your field of expertise (molecular biology);
• You are a team player, with a strong desire to grow and take on increasing responsibilities within the team.

What we offer
As Research Technician at the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is graded in scale 7 according to UFO profile Research Technician, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from € 2,693 and € 3,636 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply.
• An employment contract for a period of 12 months with a scope of 1.0 FTE.
• At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model.
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students.
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'.

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

Maastricht University

Why work at Maastricht University?
At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM.

Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences
At the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML), everything revolves around healthy living. Our research and education are not solely focused on recovery, but place a strong emphasis on prevention, health preservation, and health promotion. Our aim is to use our knowledge and expertise to genuinely contribute to the well-being of individual people as well as society in total.

In, research, and healthcare, FHML is closely collaborating with the academic hospital in Maastricht, together forming the Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+). FHML is strongly connected in education, research, and care with the Maastricht academic hospital, together with which it forms the Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+).

FHML, which is the largest faculty of Maastricht University, is formed by an (inter)national community of employees and students. The faculty offers a wide range of Dutch and English-taught bachelor's and master's programs in innovative educational concepts in which the emphasis is always on building bridges to practice.

The multidisciplinary research of the FHML focuses on a number of carefully chosen topical current themes. In addition to research aimed at gaining new insights, it also concerns research whose results can be directly translated into concrete applications and innovations. The implementation of the various research programs is organized in our six graduate schools and two institutes.

Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI)
CAPHRI works towards better health for everyone through innovative solutions for healthcare and public health care. CAPHRI builds bridges between science and society by conducting research with an inclusive and participatory approach. The research focuses on prevention and innovation ranging from public - and primary health care, to person-oriented long-term care.

Our research has a strong multidisciplinary approach with attention to local, regional and global themes embedded in six research lines: Ageing and Long-Term Care, Creating Value-Based Health Care, Functioning, Participation and Rehabilitation, Health Inequities and Societal Participation, Optimising Patient Care; and Promoting Health and Personalised Care.

Working at CAPHRI means being engaged in an active and inspiring academic setting and making a real contribution to the improvement of care and public health. CAPHRI attracts top scientists from around the world and is known for its comprehensive PhD training programme for young talented scientists.
www.caphri.nl (hyperlink: https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/care-and-public-health-research-institute