PhD student on Dynamic Disease Maps and Digital Twins for novel treatments of OA with Cartilage Organoids

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex disease in which multiple tissues in the joint are affected. Recently, multiple OA risk genes were identified based on small genetic variations (SNPs) in the regulatory sequences of these genes. These variations can lead to unfavorable expression of these genes contributing to disease progression. OA patients have different unique combinations of SNPs that lead to OA onset and progression. In this project we will uncover the integrated effects of deviant OA risk gene expression in cartilage with the aim to develop effective disease-modifying therapies. As a PhD student, you will play a central role in this process by building an in silico disease map that models these effects and enables more precise treatments.

You will be part of the multidisciplinary research group of dr. Janine Post, who specializes in quantitative biology and computational approaches to understanding cell fate and is part of the Department of Bioengineering Technologies. This work will be performed in collaboration with prof. dr. Ingrid Meulenbelt of the LUMC, an expert in OA pathophysiology and molecular epidemiology, whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of OA genetics and its clinical implications.

Requirements:

You are a highly motivated researcher who is driven by curiosity, and you have:

• A Master’s degree in in biomedical engineering, bioinformatics, systems biology, genetics, or a related field
• Strong experimental and theoretical skills in systems biology, computational modeling of networks, or big OMICs data analysis.
• Strong communication skills with experts in the fields of molecular biology, genetics and mathematical modeling
• Experience in scripting languages like Python or Matlab
• Proficiency in English, both spoken and written (we require a TOEFL > 90 or IELTS > 6.5 score)
• A passion for translational research

Salary Benefits:

• A 4-year, fully funded PhD position
• Collaboration with top scientists in OA pathophysiology, genetics, and bioinformatics
• Cutting-edge research with a potential impact on clinical treatments
• Salary and associated conditions are in accordance with the collective labor agreement for Dutch universities (CAO-NU).
• The monthly salary is € 2.872 in the first year, increasing yearly to € 3.670 in the fourth year.
• There are excellent benefits, including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and a solid pension scheme.
• A minimum of 29 holidays in case of full-time employment.
• Free access to sports facilities on campus.

40 hours per week

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