The prospective PhD candidate will collaborate with team members who are specialized in bioengineering (Twente), transcriptomics, proteomics and computational biology (Nijmegen, Twente) as part of a recently awarded NWO OC-ENW-XL Consortium "HeartEngine". The PhD candidate position is available immediately. In this project we will use innovative ultra-high throughput in-air-microfluidics for the generation of functional cardiac organoids that display self-organization and patterning, comparable to the human heart. As a member of the team, you will be involved in the generation of human pluripotent stem cell fluorescent reporter lines using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, differentiation of hPSC to multi-layered cardiac organoids using in-air-microfluidics. You will use high content imaging to study the self-organization and molecular regulation of cardiac organoids.

• You hold a master's degree in Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science, Biomedical Sciences, or an equivalent master's education;
• You have excellent analytical skills and an innate ability for solution oriented problem solving.
• You have experience in molecular biology, developmental biology, cell biology, or molecular life sciences is preferred.
• You have experience in stem cell culture and techniques in molecular biology, such as Crispr-Cas9.
• You have experience in one or more aspects of the project, for example stem cell differentiation, next generation sequencing, single-cell transcriptomics or proteomics.
• You have strong interest in developmental biology, cardiovascular biology and/or tissue engineering.
• You are excited about scientific discovery and would like to make a contribution to improved heart disease modelling
• You possess excellent social and communication skills, in academic as well as non-academic contexts.
• You love working in a team in which fundamental and applied research cross-fertilize.
• You have a creative and critical attitude, combined with perseverance and being flexible and stress-resistant.
• You are fluent in English language skills, both in speaking and writing.

• Fully paid fulltime position for four years
• The university offers a dynamic ecosystem with enthusiastic colleagues in a stimulating scientific environment.
• The PhD salary is € 2.541,- in the first year and increases to € 3.247,- in the fourth year.
• A holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• A solid pension scheme.
• A professional and personal development program within Graduate School Twente.
• The number of holiday hours for full-time employment is 232 hours per calendar year.
• A personal development program within the Twente Graduate School.

The PhD-candidates will work in the Passier Lab, which is part of the department of Applied Stem Cell Technologies AST. We use stem cell and molecular technologies, organ-on-chip-devices, advanced tissue engineering to emulate and understand organ development and function in health and disease. We AST is part of the Technical Medical Centre of the University of Twente, which is widely recognized for its cutting-edge developments in biomedical technology and advanced biomanufacturing.