A healthy lifestyle is the cornerstone in maintaining vascular and metabolic health, which is instrumental for the prevention and delay of age-related conditions like cognitive impairment, dementia and cardiovascular disease. In addition, vascular health and metabolism are important determinants of cognitive performance and other perceivable benefits. Within this context, the PhD-student will perform human intervention studies to establish cause-effect relationships along the axis ‘human metabolism – brain health – cognitive performance’. The first emphasis will be on the longer-term impact of a novel food supplement on brain health in study participants with pre-mild cognitive impairment. State-of-the-art magnetic resonance (MRI) and vascular imaging methodologies will be used to assess dietary effects on vascular and metabolic health on a whole-body level.

We offer a challenging research project on top-notch research facilities for vascular and metabolic research, highly advanced magnetic resonance systems, equipped with an open software development environment. The successful candidate will work in a team of nutritionists, psychologists and biologists of the School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM) in the Netherlands. He/she will be involved in planning and conducting the human intervention studies, performing the physiological testing, analyzing and interpreting the obtained data, and reporting research results. All studies will be performed in a team setting, in collaborations with different experts of NUTRIM, and in tight collaboration with the food industry.

• Master degree in biomedical sciences, medicine, (medical) biology, health sciences, physiology, neurosciences or nutrition
• Experienced with human studies is an advantage
• A real researcher’s mentality: open-minded, curious, enthusiastic, motivated, hard-working, persevering, and accurate
• Team player with good organizational, communication and social skills, and the ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment
• Excellent spoken and written English

Fixed-term contract: 48 months.

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 http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees.

Before the end of the first year, an evaluation takes place and a go-no go decision will be taken for the other three years.
Each year an evaluation will take place.

Your salary would be € 2.395,- gross per month in the first year up to € 3.061,- gross per month in the fourth year according to the PhD-candidate salary scale. On top of this, there is an 8% holiday and an 8.3% year-end allowance.

Maastricht University

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 18,000 students and 4,400 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

NUTRIM - School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism / Department of Medical Microbiology

NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism initiates and catalyzes translational research into nutritional health benefits and risks focusing on metabolic and chronic inflammatory diseases. Through its research master and PhD program NUTRIM aims to educate scientists of high academic excellence and ambassadors to support and develop the field of nutrition, metabolism and toxicology within and outside the Netherlands. Sixteen biomedical, clinical, and behavioural-science departments are incorporated within NUTRIM