Gut microbiota are essential for our health. Many factors such as diet can significantly impact the interplay between microbiota and host. However, how individual nutrient regulates our gut microbiota, mucosal barrier and their interactions is mostly mechanistically still unclear. Understanding this complex interaction will pave the way to the discovery of new targets for interventions aimed at improving health.

Join us!
Gut microbiota are essential for our health. Many factors such as diet can significantly impact the interplay between microbiota and host. However, how individual nutrient regulates our gut microbiota, mucosal barrier and their interactions is mostly mechanistically still unclear. Understanding this complex interaction will pave the way to the discovery of new targets for interventions aimed at improving health.

What are you going to do?
In this project you will establish an anaerobic gut-microbiome-on-a-chip and apply it to investigate the effects of dietary interventions on the microbiome and host functions. Using our facilities for research, you will establish mesofluidic gut models to coculture organoid-derived intestinal epithelium, immune cells, and synthetic microbial communities (SynComs). Within the anaerobic gut-microbiome-on-a-chip system, you will determine the influence of dietary components on the bacterial function, intestinal barrier function, and inflammation using multi-omics such as metabolomics and transcriptomics (facility is available for support).

You will work in the GuMI team embedded in the Department of Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety at the Microbiology Theme of the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences.

What do we require?
You have/are:

• a degree (PhD, or equivalent) in Biomedical Sciences, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry,

or closely related fields. Candidates in the final stages of obtaining their degree are eligible to apply;

• an excellent background in cell biology, immunology, biological engineering, microbiology, hands-on experience

of primary cell culture, organoids, microphysiological systems, 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.

Our 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 1-2-2025 or upon agreement. The salary, depending on relevant experience before the beginning of the employment contract, will be between €3,345 and €5,278 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. Are you curious about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits like our excellent opportunities for study and development? Take a look here.

About us
The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 7,000, as well as 1,600 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

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.

Do you recognize yourself in the job profile? Then we look forward to receiving your application by 30 November 2024. You can apply online by using the link below.

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 first half of December 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, Assistant Professor
• Tel. + 31 (0)20 525 5143
• Email: j.zhang6@uva.nl