A healthy lifestyle is an essential element in the prevention of chronic metabolic diseases like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  Given the contribution of dietary sugar in the development of obesity and cardiometabolic risk (contributing to energy density and overconsumption), dietary recommendations are targeting a reduction of sugar in the diet.

Non-caloric sweeteners provide an opportunity to remove calories in the form of sugar, while maintaining the appeal of popular products for the consumer. Thus far, the role of such products in weight loss, weight maintenance and overall cardiometabolic  health remains unclear.

The Department of Human Biology,  NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, is participating in a European Horizon 2020 multi-center study investigating how the long term use of non-caloric sweeteners as part of a healthy diet may affect body weight control and metabolic health (glucose metabolism, liver fat content, gut microbiota composition and brain function) in overweight adults and children.  For this project we are looking for 2 PhD students.

The PhD candidates will:

• study relevant literature in the field of sweeteners and health in relationship to the development of obesity and diabetes
• work out the details of the project proposal and obtain medical ethical approval
• plan, coordinate and perform the human intervention study

The PhD candidates are responsible for:

• staying abreast of developments in his scientific discipline by keeping up with the scientific literature in his field and visiting scientific meetings and project consortium meetings
• generating ideas within the scope of the defined subject
• supervising of research assistants and students, where appropriate
• delivering results in line with the project plan milestones and deliverables
• keeping up with the latest scientific developments and integrating these in the project
• converting data and results of the sub-project into overview reports
• keeping traceable records of all results and analyses according to the lab journal procedure
• writing high-quality research papers about the results obtained and getting these published in high-impact scientific journals.

completing a thesis after 4 years.

MSc in medicine, nutrition, biomedical sciences and/or health sciences with proven interest in the biochemical and functional aspects of nutrition and metabolism. Some neuroscientific background with regard to food intake regulation would be beneficial. Good communication and organisational skills are a requirement, as well as the qualities to work within a team.

Fixed-term contract: 48 months.

Temporary employment for 4 years. Your salary would be € 2.325,- gross per month in the first year up to € 2.972,- gross per month in the fourth year according to the PhD-candidate salary scale. Each year an evaluation will take place.

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees.

NUTRIM - School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism / Department of Human Biology

The Department of Human Biology is part of NUTRIM, School for Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, within the Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML) of Maastricht University. The central research theme of the Department of Human Biology is Healthy living with Obesity, Sarcopenia, Energy metabolism and Cardiometabolic Health as spearheads.

Research within Human Biology focuses on various aspects of human and metabolic health and how lifestyle factors can affect health, with an emphasis on Nutrition and Physical Activity. Using a translational scientific approach, our mission is to generate and transfer knowledge to improve health, well-being and sustainability of our society. The Department has a close fit to the themes and research of the Maastricht University Medical Center+ and the Campus Venlo (Innovative health foods).

Within the Department, four research groups are embedded, related to:

• Obesity and Obesity-related health risks
• Exercise Metabolism, Protein Metabolism, and Sarcopenia (www.m3-research.nl)
• Molecular Genetics of Obesity
• and a joint embedding of the research group Microbiology of the Gastro-Intestinal tract with Campus Venlo.

NUTRIM aims to contribute to health maintenance and personalised medicine by unraveling lifestyle and disease-induced derangements in metabolism and by developing targeted nutritional, exercise and drug interventions.

This is facilitated by a state of the art research infrastructure and close interaction between scientists, clinicians, master and PhD students.

• 18 million euros annual budget
• annually more than 500 publications in Science Citation indexed journals
• about 395 researchers, including 245 PhD students, and 70 support staff
• continuum from fundamental to clinical and applied research
• led by Prof. Annemie Schols

https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/school-nutrition-and-translational-research-metabolism