PhD-Student in Cellular Neuroscience

The CNCR in Amsterdam (see www.cncr.nl) participates in the Graduate School ONWAR (www.ONWAR.nl) and is seeking applications for a PhD-student in cellular neuroscience (Synaptic physiology, High-resolution imaging) for the Department of Functional Genomics, VU/Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam.

Project: Mechanisms of neuropeptide signaling in human brain

Job description:
Neurons communicate by secreting a variety of chemical signals. Neuropeptides are by far the largest group of chemical signals in the brain and involved in numerous brain functions, from sleep to cognition. Yet, the way these signals are produced, packaged in vesicles (DCVs), transported and secreted is still poorly understood. Moreover, dysregulation of neuropeptide signaling is implicated in a wide range of brain disorders (e.g., autism, mental retardation) and neuropeptides are used as a treatment for many of these (e.g. epilepsy). The aim of this project is to unravel the mechanisms of DCV trafficking and secretion in neurons, from their biogenesis in the soma to the final fusion at synapses. This project uses human iPSC-derived neurons and genetically encoded reporters to detect DCV trafficking and fusion. Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, we have already generated mutations in a collection of candidate genes, also mutations associated with human brain disorders. In addition, we have obtained samples from human patients and generated human neuron models from these. This project will use life cell imaging to analyze DCV trafficking and secretion in these human models. We have previously established detection of DCV secretion in living neurons with single vesicle resolution and characterized several molecular factors that regulate secretion. In this project we will exploit these tools/methods to characterize the secretory pathway and dysregulation in disease.

You will be part of international research networks and exploit a variety of other analysis tools available here. You will be appointed in Amsterdam and work primarily in Amsterdam with regular visits to the other labs. The PhD-students will be trained on site. All the methodology, equipment, analysis software and viral vectors are available from the start of the project.

This PhD will be a joint appointment between Vrije Universiteit (VU) and Amsterdam UMC (VUmc). Below, we outline the terms of your employment for the duration of your PhD program.

Employment at Vrije Universiteit (VU):

• Start Date: 1 November 2024
• End Date: 31 March 2027
• Terms: Your initial contract will be for 12 months with the possibility of an extension for an additional 18 months.
• Employment Conditions: Please refer to the employment conditions at VU through the following link.

Employment at Amsterdam UMC (VUmc):

• Start Date: 1 April 2027
• End Date: 31 October 2028
• Terms: You will be employed for the remaining 18 months to complete your PhD program.
• Employment Conditions: Please refer to the employment conditions at VUmc through the following link.

Requirements:

We are looking for a student with the following qualifications:

• A Master’s degree in biomedical sciences, with a specialization in neuroscience
• Previous experience in molecular and cellular neuroscience, especially with the methods described above
• Hands-on experience with image analysis and programming
• Motivation to pursue a career in science

Salary Benefits:

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• a salary of minimum € 2.872,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.670,00 (PhD) gross per month, on a full-time basis. This is based on UFO profile PhD candidate. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
• a position for at least 1 FTE. Your employment contract will initially last 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for another 3 years.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• contribution to commuting expenses
• discounts on collective insurances (healthcare- and car insurance);
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge

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