Postdoc Position: Systems Biology of Host-Pathogen Interaction

Is it your ambition to gain fundamental insights into biology, and infection biology in particular, and provide knowledge for the development of novel intervention strategies? And do you cherish the power of integrative omics technologies in dissecting complex biological processes? If so, then this may be the job for you!

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will contribute to a highly collaborative ERC-Synergy project with the ambitious goal to crack a hundred-year-old mystery and a major medical challenge: how malaria parasites stay dormant in the liver and how they ’decide’ to reactivate themselves, causing relapse infections. To answer this question we will combine a unique relapse infection model with state-of-the-art omics, gene editing and imaging technologies in a highly collaborative setting. We need your expertise in applying and integrating various omics approaches (single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics) to identify host factors enabling dormancy of the parasite or influence their reactivation. Furthermore, we provide a highly conducive environment for you to thrive and to develop novel ideas and work on additional independent projects that align with this research theme.

This project will be mainly carried out at the Department of Molecular Biology, providing in-house omics and bioinformatic facilities and a collaborative, international environment. Furthermore, the project will require frequent visits to the collaborating institutes (BPRC, Amsterdam UMC). The Integrative Parasitology Group (headed by Dr Richard Bartfai) has made seminal contributions to our understanding of how molecular mechanisms enable adaptation and pathogenesis of malaria parasites. Our team takes pride in developing and integrating innovative (single-cell) multi-omics technologies to understand the biology of these deadly pathogens. Furthermore, we are actively improving in vitro and in vivo models for more accurate understanding of the development of the parasite in the liver and its interaction with the host.

• We will give you a temporary employment contract of 2 years, with a possibility for extension.
• Your salary within salary scale 10 depends on your previous education and number of years of (relevant) work experience. The amounts in the scale are based on a 38-hour working week.
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
• We offer Dual Career Coaching. The Dual Career Coaching assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands.
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20.

Work and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

The Department of Molecular Biology is part of the Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS-Science), which is one of the six research institutes of the Faculty of Science at Radboud University.

The overarching aim of RIMLS-Science is to decipher molecular mechanisms of disease. Research areas of RIMLS-Science include epigenetics, stem-cell and developmental biology, and computational biology. The central research theme is regulation of gene expression during development, in health and in disease. Important tools used within the institute include next-generation sequencing, mass spectrometry, single-cell and spatial multi-omics and computational analysis, as well as method development. To perform state-of-the-art research, RIMLS-Science operates its own wet lab, omics and computational facilities. This fundamental and applied research in medical biology and molecular life sciences has clear links to more clinically oriented research programmes at departments within the Radboud university medical center. RIMLS-Science currently has about 60 researchers, providing a vibrant and international working environment.