The successful candidate for this Assistant Professor position will be investigating the antitumor properties of cold atmospheric plasmas within a multidisciplinary research program in the field of plasma medicine. This involves the generation and application of non-thermal plasmas to deliver a 'cocktail' of reactive chemical species, electric charges, electric fields and UV radiation to the target of interest. The four-year program is funded by the Strategic Alliance between Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Utrecht University (UU) and University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), and will be jointly carried out by research groups from these institutions, each with a newly appointed researcher. 

The research team will combine their expertise in physics, chemistry, cell biology and medicine to gain an in-depth understanding of the influence of non-thermal plasmas on cells and tissue. The ultimate aim is to develop and improve applications of non-thermal plasmas to combat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections and cancer.

Your role will be to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the antitumor activity of plasmas, with a special focus on the specificity for cancer versus normal cells. You will work closely with your colleagues from TU/e, UU and UMCU to determine how to moderate the antitumor properties of plasmas, and to discover the conditions under which plasmas kill cancer cells effectively without harming normal cells.

You hold a PhD in biomedical sciences, chemistry, biochemistry, and/or cell biology, and have expertise in one or more of the following areas: in vitro toxicity studies, oxidative processes in cells, plasma chemistry, 3D cultures and organoids, and in vivo models of cancer. Your publications track record, teaching record and acquired research funds are of relevance, and these will be weighed against the number of years of academic experience, thereby taking into account parental leave.

Ideally, you are enthusiastic, proactive, and very open to the interdisciplinary research upon which the program is based. You are eager to gain a good working knowledge of the approaches used by your colleagues in the field of plasma physics and microbiology in order to optimize collaboration. As an ambitious researcher, you are committed to seeking funding to further develop your own research lines. You also have an affinity with teaching.

Fixed-term contract: temporary appointment for 4 years.

For this 100% post, the maximum salary will be € 3.545,- to € 5.513,- depending on previous experience and qualifications. This will be a temporary appointment for 4 years, with evaluations after the first and third year.

University Medical Centre Utrecht

With over 1,100 beds and more than 11,000 employees, the University Medical Center Utrecht is one of the largest academic health care centers in the Netherlands. Our aim is to improve. Our patients’ health, but also our students and employees. Whether you are a doctor or a business economist, a researcher or a SAP-specialist: working with us means having a job that matters, access to the best facilities and the opportunity to grow as a professional and contribute towards innovative health care.

Scientific research at the UMC Utrecht is rooted in the world around us. We listen to people; the wishes and needs of patients come first. Together with our national and international partners, we invest in innovation and research in order to ensure that our care remains of the highest quality. Focus is pivotal in this, which is why we have concentrated our research in six programs:

• Brain
• Infection & Immunity
• Circulatory Health
• Personalized Cancer Care
• RM & Stem Cells
• Child Health

http://www.werkenbijumcutrecht.nl/

Department of Pathology

Your position will be in the Department of Pathology, which is led by Professor Paul van Diest. You will also receive a guest appointment in the group run by Dr. Sabrina Santos Oliveira, Assistant Professor at the Department of Biology & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University. You will conduct your work partly in the UMCU pathology laboratories, and partly in the Department of Biology, UU, at the Kruyt building, where several other team members are located (Chemistry, UU)