The goal of the project is to establish cellular dynamics of regeneration in the flatworm Macrostomum lignano. This animal has impressive regenerative properties, conferred by stem cells (neoblasts), which can continuously replace damaged cells and regenerate the whole body after amputation (see tiny.one/MligEvoDevo). Our team has established genomics approaches and transgenesis methods in M. lignano (tiny.one/MligNatComm), which provide an opportunity to study in unprecedented detail how regeneration in M. lignano proceeds at the cellular level and how it is regulated. In this project, single-cell RNA sequencing of the blastema region at different time points during regeneration will be performed to establish signatures of various cell types appearing in the regeneration process. Next, neoblast-specific and tissue-specific M. lignano transgenic marker lines will be generated based on the established signatures. Live imaging of these transgenic lines will be developed and cell fate maps established.

The REGENERATE-IT Consortium
This project is a part of the REGENERATE-IT Doctoral Network, funded by the Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Action (MSCA). The network brings together a full spectrum of disciplines – from fundamental to applied research – to train the next generation of researchers in regenerative biology and adjacent field. It is a consortium of high-profile researchers from various universities, research institutions, and companies spanning 12 academic institutions in 10 European countries (the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, and the UK). The competencies available in the REGENERATE-IT Network are further expanded by the involvement of one non-academic beneficiary, four industrial partner organisations, a patent attorney firm, a non-profit research organisation, a scientific publisher, a patient advocacy group, and Women Scientists network organisation.
The REGENERATE-IT consortium offers 12 fully funded PhD positions to work with leading European researchers to advance the frontiers of regenerative biology and medicine. More information about all projects is available on the project website www.regenerate-it.eu

Training – Activities
The fellow will receive training in molecular and developmental genetics, microscopy and genomics from the host lab, in the context of the research project, as well as training in regenerative biology in the context of the REGENERATE-IT doctoral network. The training will be adapted to the needs of the fellow and the selected project (see above).
This fellowship will involve periods of training/research in the laboratories of other REGENERATE-IT partners and participation in yearly meetings and summer schools organized by the network, to take full advantage of the wide range of expertise available in the network. The fellow will have opportunities to develop presentation, writing, and other transferable skills, and to participate in outreach activities. More information about the training activities is available on the project website www.regenerate-it.eu

- You should have a Master’s degree in science, preferably in molecular biosciences (molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, genetics, or genomics). Practical experience in developmental biology, genetics, microscopy, genomics, or bioinformatics will be appreciated. Strongly motivated students from other disciplines (e.g., physics) are also encouraged to apply.
- You should be able to communicate well in both written and spoken English.
- You may have any nationality, but you must not have resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to your appointment (short stays such as holidays are not taken into account).
- You should submit a motivation letter and a CV.

You will receive an attractive salary following the MSCA regulations for doctoral candidates
Your salary will be a minimum of € 2.789,- gross per month in the first year and a maximum of € 3.536,- gross per month (scale PhD) in the final (4th) year, based on a full-time appointment. In addition, the UMCG will offer you 8% holiday pay, and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centres (CAO-UMC).
The salary includes a living allowance, a mobility allowance, and a family allowance (if the recruited doctoral candidate has or acquires family obligations during the duration of the fellowship). The guaranteed PhD funding is for 36 months. In addition to their individual scientific projects, all doctoral candidates of the REGENERATE-IT network will benefit from further training, which includes internships/secondments in other laboratories, a variety of training courses (including transferable skills), and active participation in workshops and conferences.

Selection process
All the applications will be screened based on the received CVs and Motivation letters.
The selected (short-listed) candidates will be
- Asked to provide two references, and
- Invited for an interview.
The final decision on whom to recruit will be made by the selection committee of the REGENERATE-IT consortium before 1st May 2023.
The selected candidates are to start their PhD research before 1st November 2023.

ERIBA

You will be working in the department of the European Institute for the Biology of Ageing (ERIBA) of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)/ University of Groningen (UG).
The University of Groningen is a research university with a global outlook, deeply rooted in Groningen, the City of Talent. Quality has had top priority for four hundred years, and with success: the University is currently in or around the top 100 on several influential ranking lists. The Faculty of Medical Sciences is the second oldest medical faculty in The Netherlands.
You will be based within the department of ERIBA, which is an internationally recognized research institute. Since its inception, the institute has grown and established itself as one of the leading institutes, focusing on fundamental biology to understand the causes of aging. The core research focuses on the mechanisms that result in the loss of cells with age and the decline in cellular functioning.
You will join the research team of Stem Cell Regulation and Mechanisms of Regeneration within the ERIBA, UMCG. The research team is international, and the working language is English. (Speaking Dutch is not required.) The research team studies aging-resilient and highly regenerative animals – to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive stem cell activity during regeneration and protect stem cells from intrinsic and extrinsic stresses.
You will also be part of the wider community of fellows in the REGENERATE-IT doctoral network, funded by the MSCA Doctoral Networks, comprising 12 laboratories across Europe (www.regenerate-it.eu/). You will participate in the training activities organized by the network, including secondments, in which you will be hosted for research/training visits in a partner laboratory.
You will be enrolled as a Ph.D. student in the Graduate School of Medical Sciences (GSMS) at UMCG/UG and will be supervised by Prof. Eugene Berezikov (https://umcgresearch.org/w/eriba-stem-cell-regulation-and-mechanisms-of-regeneration).