The current job opportunity is supported by the EU-funded Horizon 2020 project title “Induced pluripotent stem cell-based therapy for spinal regeneration” (iPSpine). The consortium addresses an unmet clinical need of a societal problem that is the leading cause of disability and morbidity worldwide, i.e. low back pain (LBP). Although the cause of LBP is multifactorial, it is widely accepted that a major contributor to LBP is degeneration of the spines intervertebral discs (IVDs). The iPSpine consortium, initiated and coordinated by Professor Tryfonidou, was granted 15 million Euro to initiate a European-led research effort to identify a future advanced therapeutic strategy that can address the societal need for a radical new treatment of LBP.

 

You will become a member of the iPSpine team, a multidisciplinary team with expertise in the development of advanced therapies and their translation from bench to bedside. The aim of iPSpine is to investigate and develop a new advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) of the future, based on a novel developmental biology approach involving induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and smart biomaterials. The iPSpine consortium will develop and demonstrate preclinical proof-of-concept for this radical new iPSC-based therapeutic strategy.

 

The candidate will work within an interdisciplinary team in order to contribute to the aforementioned overall aim of the iPSpine consortium. In particular, the candidate, depending on his/her scientific background and expertise, will improve currently available iPS-differentiation protocols towards the notochordal cell-specific phenotype, and/or explore and exploit the role of epigenetics in lineage commitment, and/or perform functional studies to provide a better understanding on the mode of action of the differentiated iPSCs being developed.

We are looking for a candidate with a PhD in Life Sciences and with academic excellence in research, demonstrated by an outstanding publication record and funding record. Good grounding in Developmental Biology and basic Biomolecular, Biochemical, Flow Cytometry and Cell/Tissue Culture skills are prerequisites. Expertise in tissue progenitor cells, iPS cells and their challenges, techniques involved in RNA-sequencing, and extracellular vesicles characterization are highly desirable. Integrative thinking and bioinformatics analysis of complex data sets retrieved from different methods are considered an advantage. The ideal applicant is enthusiastic, creative, with excellent communication skills and can work in a multidisciplinary team. You will be expected to also supervise Master and PhD students of the scientific team addressing the separate iPSpine tasks.

We offer a temporary position (1.0 FTE) for one year. The gross salary - depending on previous qualifications and experience  - ranges between €3,173 and €3,545 (scale 10 according to the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) gross per month for a full-time employment. Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8 % and a year-end bonus of 8.3 % per year. We offer a pension scheme, (partly paid) parental leave, collective insurance schemes and flexible employment conditions (multiple choice model). More information is available at: working at Utrecht University.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major societal themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Sustainability.

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has an unique position in the Netherlands. Not only is this the only institution where veterinarians are trained, researchers are also working together on innovative scientific research.

In the upcoming years, the Faculty will focus on three themes: One Health, One Medicine and Veterinary Biomedicine. In addition, the Faculty provides specialist clinical care in the largest academic veterinary hospital in Europe. A focus on disease, health and well-being of animals and their environments underpins the Faculty’s three main pillars: Education, Research, and Veterinary Health Care. The Faculty counts 1,500 students and 900 employees.

The Postdoc to be recruited will enforce the orthopaedics group that is embedded in the Regenerative Medicine Utrecht and housed at the Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht. You will be closely collaborating with other members of the consortium appointed at the Hubrecht Institute and the University Medical Center Utrecht (Department Orthopaedics) and the international iPSpine partners, who are based in Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, Switserland, Hong Kong and the USA.