Bioactive components in milk, e.g. cell-derived extracellular vesicles (mEVs), are essential for a kick-start of life. However, the mechanism of action (MOA) of these components is poorly understood. As a PhD in this project, you will decipher the MOA of mEV-mediated metabolic modulation of immune, liver and neuronal cells, analyse mEV composition during lactation, and investigate the impact of milk processing on mEVs.

The positions are supported by the public-private Health Holland TKI-LSH SIGNALERS Project, aiming to unlock the MOA of human mEVs.

Your job
In this project, you will develop human cellular in vitro functional readout assays to analyse the metabolic modulatory activity of mEVs (e.g. by metabolic tracing studies (fluxomics)). You will connect these findings to the mEV cargo analysed by multi-omics approaches (i.e., metabolomics, proteomics and lipidomics), and you will intervene in mEV cargo and intracellular pathways to link mEV-cargo to function.

You will benefit from a close collaboration with the University Medical Center Utrecht and Nestlé Research. You will collaborate with Professor Leusen (Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht) for milk sample collection, with Dr de Theije (Department for Developmental Origins of Disease, UMC Utrecht) for neuronal cell modulation, and with researchers of Nestlé Research for proteomics analysis, data integration and mEV analysis metrics development.

Throughout the project, you will develop core skills in fundamental cell biology and metabolism research, in mass spectrometry and integrated multi-omics analysis, and gain insights in the role of mEVs in the development and intricate relationship of the liver-immune-brain axis. You will execute parts of the project at the partner institutes.

As a team, we prioritise effective collaboration, ongoing feedback, and both professional and personal development. At Utrecht University there are plenty of opportunities to facilitate your development.

You enjoy new scientific concepts and working in an international multidisciplinary team in both academia and industry. You have affinity with fundamental cell biology, metabolism and mass spectrometry and/or multi-omics analysis. And you like learning technical mass spectrometry skills and computational skills needed for the integration of in vitro cellular read-outs and multi-omics analysis. You see it as an interesting challenge to present research at (international) conferences and to stakeholders, and to supervise and educate (master)students on related projects.

Furthermore, you have:

• an MSc degree in Biology, Biomedical sciences, Biochemistry, (Veterinary) Medicine or in a related field and have a good grounding in cell biology and/or metabolism, the immune system, the nervous system or liver biology;
• proficiency in English speaking and writing;
• experience working with in vitro cell cultures (especially with immune, neuronal, and/or liver cell cultures), and/or (multi-)omics analysis would be an asset.

We offer:

• a job for for one year, with an extension to a total of four years upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period;
• a working week of 36 to 40 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2,770 and €3,539 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

Universiteit Utrecht

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 strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

At the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine we train the veterinarians and researchers of the future, provide care for animals and conduct leading and societal relevant research. That is what we are good at. We see that the health and welfare of animals, humans and the environment are interconnected. By sharing our knowledge and working together, we make positive impact, both nationally and internationally. Our 1,500 students and 950 staff members inspire and strengthen each other. Our engagement connects us. The drive to, from an integral perspective, make the world a better place.

You will become part op the Biomolecular Health Sciences (BHS), Division Cell Biology, Metabolism and Cancer (CMC) and your research will be performed mainly in the Cell Biology & Cancer Metabolism research groups of Wauben, Berkers and Helms.

BHS houses the central research core facilities for advanced microscopy (CMC), metabolomics and lipidomics analysis (CMC), and flow cytometry with specific expertise for single EV analysis. Within CMC ample expertise is available on fundamental cell biology, EV-biology and characterisation, metabolism and lipid biochemistry, mass spectrometry and omics analyses, immunology, liver biology and cancer. The Cell Biology group is a world-leading research group in the EV-field and fully dedicated and equipped for EV isolation and (functional) characterisation with a longstanding expertise on milk EVs and immune modulation. The Cancer Metabolism group is at the forefront of intracellular metabolism and metabolic cross-talk between cells using metabolomics, lipidomics and fluxomics analyses in advanced model systems.