PhD candidate 'Multimodal imaging in a mouse model of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy'

In this project, you will contribute to the development of a multimodal preclinical imaging platform, which you will then apply longitudinally to study skeletal muscle changes in a mouse model of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FlexDUX4). Are you the one who will help us with the development and validation of this model?

Muscle disorders have an immense impact not only on the patients who experience them but also on their families and close acquaintances. Imaging methods that capture structural or compositional changes in diseased skeletal muscle do not directly reflect the functional capacity of an individual that is ultimately lost due to progression of the disease.

This project proposes a comprehensive and innovative tool based on three complementary imaging technologies—MRI, ultrasound, and multispectral optoacoustic tomography—including muscle force measurements, for assessing skeletal muscle contractile function and muscle quality non-invasively, to be used in a mouse model of muscular dystrophy.

This advanced multimodal imaging protocol will provide a readout of disease activity in muscle in unprecedented detail, with the ultimate goal of predicting disease progression and providing timely detection of disease effects on muscle tissue during treatment.

In this project, you will contribute to the development of a multimodal preclinical imaging platform, which you will then apply longitudinally to study skeletal muscle changes in a mouse model of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FlexDUX4). You will also have the opportunity to (co-)develop an exercise ergometer setup to permit imaging during an exercise challenge.

The project will involve close collaboration with other team members with imaging expertise from the Clinical Neuromuscular Imaging Group at Radboudumc, the preclinical research facility PRIME, the Soft Robotics Lab at the department of Biomedical Engineering at University of Twente, and with collaborators with experience in muscle histology, as well as with clinical and pharmaceutical industry shareholders who will facilitate the translation of these methods for use in the clinic and in pharmaceutical trials.

Tasks will also include presenting at international scientific conferences and writing papers on the newly-developed methods and study results.

You are a creative and enthusiastic researcher with an MSc degree in physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, medical physics, technical medicine or similar. You are a team player with project organisation skills. Your communication skills in English are excellent, both written and spoken.

You have experience in:

• Image processing, medical imaging, and an interest in biomedical research.
• Programming in Python, C/C++, MATLAB, or similar.
• Experience or interest in electrical engineering is preferred.

At Radboud university medical center, you build on your future. We are committed to providing the best care, education, and research. And we are true to our word, because we help you develop and seize opportunities and give you the room to grow. As an employer, we believe that employees should feel vital and happy at work in all stages of life. We are also committed to creating a healthy and safe working environment. Our employment conditions contribute to that. What we offer:

• Upon commencement of employment, you will start at scale 10A, step 0 (€ 3.108 based on a full-time appointment). Over a maximum period of 4 years, you will progress to scale 10A, step 3 (€3.939 based on a full-time appointment). You will also receive an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a 47% to 72% bonus for working unsocial hours.
• 176 vacation hours per year based on a 36-hour working week.

Nijmegen is the oldest Dutch city, with a rich history and one of the liveliest city centres in the Netherlands. Radboud University, based in Nijmegen, is a leading university, known for its international orientation, wide range of academic disciplines, interdisciplinary research and push towards creating societal impact. Radboud University Medical Center functions as the medical faculty of Radboud University.

Department of Medical Imaging
The Department of Medical Imaging at the Radboudumc was recently ranked number three on the ‘U.S. News Best Global Universities’ list for Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging. Indeed, this department is one of the most active research departments at the Radboudumc. More than 100 researchers in the department are continuously striving to improve healthcare. Close cooperation between preclinical researchers, radiologists, and neurologists gives a fantastic opportunity to implement and translate new imaging techniques, and you will be working directly in this field.

Biomedical Magnetic Resonance Group
The MRI-related research of the Biomedical Magnetic Resonance group within the department focuses on the development and application of new magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI and MRS) methodology, including the application of new contrast agents. The group’s research spans the fundamental understanding of disease models through preclinical research to translation and application in large clinical trials—covering the complete range from basic research to clinical studies with a strong translational character.

The Biomedical Magnetic Resonance group has been supported by organisations such as the Dutch Technology Fund, the Dutch Society for Scientific Research, the Dutch Cancer foundation, the ‘Spieren voor Spieren’ foundation, the European Federation for the study of Diabetes, the European Commission (EC), and commercial partners.

Radboudumc
Welcome to Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc), where scientific breakthroughs are born through the curiosity and passion of our collaborating researchers in a vibrant environment. We believe trust and excitement are crucial elements to achieving our goals, and we approach our research as teams and with the utmost rigor to make a significant impact on health and healthcare. Our researchers are driven by their fascination with the biological, psychological, and sociological mechanisms underlying health and healthcare. They collaborate with partners from all over the world to improve health outcomes for all. Radboudumc unites patient care, research, education, and corporate learning, which allows us to approach our mission to shape the health and healthcare of the future in an innovative and person-centered way.

Our ambition is to lead the way in the pursuit of prevention, sustainability, meaningful care. We believe that through our research, we can significantly improve the health and well-being of society. Join us on our mission to make a difference in healthcare. Become a part of our community of gifted researchers, professionals or patient partners who are dedicated to making a real impact on population health and healthcare.

Read what it is like to do a PhD at the Radboud University Medical Center.

Any questions? Or wondering what it is like to work at Radboudumc? Then send an email to dr. Donnie Cameron. Use the Apply button to submit your application. The following should be included in your application: CV, letters of recommendation, list of completed courses and grades, a letter of motivation, and reprints or, preferably, links to your thesis or any scientific publications or reports in English that you have written. We encourage the use of AI to optimise your documents, but make sure to add a personal touch to set yourself apart from other applicants.