Are you a highly motivated student with a Master degree in Biomedical Sciences or a similar education level with interest in the complement system? Do you want to perform your PhD studies on unravelling the functions of Factor H and Factor H related proteins and implement them in a diagnostic tool?

Interested? Please, read further!

This project is part of a H2020 FET open consortium grant consisting of 8 partners located in different parts of Europe. The EU-funded SciFiMed project will study the Factor H family proteins' contributions to diseases aiming to obtain proof-of-principle for a multiplex detection system to simultaneously quantify and analyze the functional activity of all seven proteins in patient samples. This specific PhD project (which will start the 1th of January 2021) will aim to develop specific antibodies against the different FH family proteins. In addition, using CRISPR Cas9 whole genome screenings this project aims to determine specific cellular binding partners of the different FH family proteins and unravel the function of this binding. Moreover, we aim to determine expression levels of the FH family proteins in several disease cohorts.    

We are looking for highly motivated individuals with:

• A Master degree in Biomedical Sciences or a similar education level, with special interest in immunology.
• Knowledge of immunology is required and a proven track record in molecular techniques such as cloning in HEK cells and use of CRISP Cas9 is a pre.
• Team player with good communication skills.

Fixed-term contract: 4 jaar.

We offer unique research opportunities in a dynamic environment. Nowhere else in the world you will find an organization that combines medical, pharmaceutical, diagnostic and scientific research under one roof. In addition to a challenging project in a multi-disciplinary and enthusiastic team we offer:

• pay and working conditions conform CAO Sanquin;
• challenging projects in a multi-disciplinary and enthusiastic team;
• a temporary appointment for a period of 4 years;
• 201 hours of leave with full-time employment (36 hours);
• 8.33% end-of-year bonus, i.e. a thirteenth month in case of full-year employment;
• 8.33% holiday pay;
• compensation for travel expenses;
• collective agreements with various insurers;
• pension plan with Pensioenfonds Zorg & Welzijn (PFZW).

Sanquin

Sanquin is een not-for-profit organisatie die de bloedvoorziening in Nederland verzorgt. Naast het afnemen, verwerken en uitgeven van bloedproducten, houdt Sanquin zich bezig met het maken van reagentia, het verrichten van onderzoek en het verzorgen van onderwijs.

Immunopathology (IP)

The research project is embedded in the department of Immunopathology (IP) of Sanquin. Sanquin provides a lively, internationally oriented, scientific environment with excellent research facilities (flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, mass spectrometry, and sequencing). Research of the department IP focuses on the regulation of immune responses against non-infections antigens. The Complement Research group, part of the department IP, is headed by Dr. Ilse Jongerius and investigated the general aim of our research is to investigate how complement is regulated on different human host cells in health and disease. Next, we study how unwanted complement activation can be influenced in order to tip the balance back to normal and minimize or prevent damage to the host.