Postdoc in Microbial Modulation of Early Life Immunity

Maldevelopment of the immune system in early life, characterized by impaired immune-microbiota interaction, increases the risk of children’s health issues and in later life chronic immune-related diseases. Probiotics hold great promise in restoring the impairment of immune-microbiota interaction by providing beneficial functions that guide immune cell development. For an exciting project we are looking for an enthusiastic postdoc to help us in our research!

Join us!
In this project you will be working on identifying bacterial strains with strong potential to promote beneficial immune response in infant gut and understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms. This project is an international collaboration of the University of Amsterdam with SURI Biotech GmbH, supported by the Top Sector Life Sciences & Health.

What you will do
You will screen and identify which gut-adapted bacterial strains potently induce beneficial immune cell differentiation using ex vivo assays and in vitro anaerobic gut-microbiome-on-a-chip system. Using our facilities for research, you will decipher the underlying mechanisms of action that contribute to the beneficial functions. Within the anaerobic gut-microbiome-on-a-chip system, you will determine the influence of probiotic strains on the gut microbiota, intestinal barrier function, and immune cell differentiation and activation using multicolor flowcytometry and multi-omics such as metabolomics and transcriptomics (facility is available for support).

What we look for
You have/are:

• a PhD degree in Infection and Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or closely related fields. Candidates in the final stages of obtaining their degree are eligible to apply;
• an excellent background in immunology, T cell biology, immunometabolism, and hands-on experience of primary immune cell culture, organoids, multi-color flowcytometry, and transcriptomic data analysis;
• a problem-solving mindset and are able to perform team-oriented as well as independent work;
• fluent in English, both written and spoken.

Additional experience with gut microbiota is an asset as is proficiency in ‘omics data analysis. Anaerobic culturing is preferred but not required.

What we offer
We offer a temporary contract for 38 hours a week, for the duration of 18 months, with a probation period of 2 months. We would like you to start on 1-5-2025 or upon agreement. The salary, depending on relevant experience before the beginning of the employment contract, will be between € 3.378 and € 5.331 gross per month, based on a fulltime contract (38 hours a week). This is exclusive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable. Are you curious about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits like our excellent opportunities for study and development? Take a look here.

Where you will work
The Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS) is located at the vibrant Amsterdam Science Park. SILS is one of eight institutes of the University of Amsterdam's Faculty of Science (FNWI). With around 240 employees, SILS carries out internationally high-quality life science research and provides education within various university programs. Research is also carried out in close cooperation with the medical, biotech, chemical, flavor, food & agricultural, and high-tech industries, and revolves around 4 main themes, Cell & Systems biology, Neurosciences, Microbiology and Green Life Sciences. You will work in the GuMI team embedded in the Department of Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety at the Microbiology Theme.

Do you recognize yourself in the job profile? Then we look forward to receiving your application by 21 March 2025. Applications in .pdf should include:

• a motivation letter and CV, including a list of publications;
• the names and email addresses of two references.

Please mention the months (not just years) in your CV when referring to your education and work experience. We will invite potential candidates for interviews in the early-mid April 2025. A knowledge security check can be part of the selection procedure (for details: National knowledge security guidelines).

Do you have questions about this vacancy? Or do you want to know more about our organisation? Please contact:

• Jianbo Zhang, tenure track assistant professor
• Tel: + 31 (0)20 525 5143
• Email: j.zhang6@uva.nl

38 hours per week

Science Park 904