The research group Painless, that you will be a part of, focuses on chronic pain, a debilitating condition which affects millions of people and for which no effective treatment yet exists. Specifically, we aim to treat chronic pain at the level of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). The molecular processes in the DRG during the chronic phase of pain are not well understood. This lack in knowledge hampers us localizing pain-generating DRGs and treating pain locally. Our main goal is to target pain-related molecules in the DRG in order to visualize pain in vivo and eventually treat it locally. Painless has collaborations/expertise from different areas, such as nanoparticle targeting, nerve regeneration, gene-therapy and anesthesiology. The project has been granted ethical permission to work with the spared nerve injury (SNI) model on rats.

·        The research group focuses on research on chronic pain

·        You will have a leading role within the research group and, thus, are an experienced researcher

·        You will target pain-related molecules in the DRG to visualize pain in vivo and treat it locally

·        You will be part of a multidisciplinary and collaborative environment

·        You will also work with rat models

You will have an important, leading role in the project and should appeal to scientists who want to perform cutting edge, exploratory and new translational research. You will apply in vitro and in vivo models with the ultimate goal to develop novel theranostics. You have expertise in the molecular biology of (chronic) pain, specifically on the DRG. You are experienced with pain research and in vivo pain models in rodents (preferably SNI). Furthermore, you have a demonstrated track record in basic and/or translational pain research (publications). You are highly motivated, possess leadership skills and are team player. The following additional skills are an asset: skills in nerve regeneration, in vivo imaging and target and/or drug discovery, and finally in gene therapy.

Fixed-term contract: 5 years.

You will be employed on the basis of 36 hours per week. Appointment is for five years (duration project). Your salary is based on your education and experience and is a maximum of  € 5,944  gross per month for a full time position (scale 12 in the Collective Labour Agreement for University Hospitals).

LUMC

At the Leiden University Medical Center, we continuously work on improving patient care. We invest in groundbreaking, international research and work with the latest equipment. Together with our team of doctors, medical specialists, teachers, academic researchers and supporting staff, we aim for the best quality in health care, education and international research. And we need you to realize our goals!

More information about your workplace will be given during a potential interview.