The departments of Toxicogenomics and Bioinformatics-BiGCaT are looking for a PhD Candidate.

Job description
Rare, genetic diseases affect only a few individuals but the high number of different rare diseases make them in total an important part of health sciences - about 1 of 17 people are affected by a rare disease. Rare diseases are often caused by genetic variants especially loss of function mutations. We can study the effects of such mutations on human phenotype - health and disease. The approach we use benefits from the fact that biological systems are not linear but forming a network in which different genetic variants can affect the same biological process. Challenges in this research are integration of high- and low-risk genetic variations and life-style influences, which leads to variety in the disease presentation and problems in the identification of suitable drugs. Integrative systems biology, using pathway and network analysis approaches, is one of the ways to integrate experimental data and information from different resources in order to get a comprehensive answer.

Within this collaborative project, we are looking for a PhD candidate with either a background in bioinformatics, data sciences, systems biology with a demonstratable experience in biomedical or life sciences, or a background in life sciences/biomedical sciences with a demonstratable experience in data analysis, bioinformatics or systems biology.

You will evaluate how new integrative systems biology approaches, for which in part new tools will be developed, lead to better understanding, improved diagnosis and treatment of rare disease patients in the field of rare diseases with neurological and psychiatric phenotypes, and this will serve as the basis for your PhD thesis.

Main Tasks and responsibilities:

• Contribute to integrative systems biology research in rare diseases leading to a PhD thesis.
• Investigate and develop software tools to link genetic variant information, toxicology information, and environmental toxicology information from external databases and experimental data and use that for biological pathway and network analysis approaches.
• Documentation and publication of the results.

Requirements
The successful candidate should have:

• Demonstrable skills in bioinformatics, data sciences or systems biology;
• Programming skills including experience with project management for software projects (version control, issue trackers, documentation, integrated testing);
• Training in biological sciences, especially molecular biology and genetics ideally with applications in neuroscience or metabolism;
• Good communication skills in English - written and spoken;
• Affinity for working in an interdisciplinary and highly international environment;
• Organisational skills and professional behaviour;
• Readiness to relocate to (the vicinity of) Maastricht.

It is unlikely that you will have covered all aspects, candidates with experience in some of these aspects and an interest in the others are also encouraged to apply.

What we offer
As a PhD Candidat at the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is graded according to UFO profile PhD, with corresponding salary from €2770,00 in the first year and €3539,00 gross per month in the fourth year (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply.
• An employment contract for a period of 12 months with a scope of 1.0 FTE. Upon a positive evaluation, an extension of 3 years will follow.
• At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model.
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students.
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'.

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

Maastricht University
Why work at Maastricht University?

At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM.

Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences
At the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML), everything revolves around healthy living. Our research and education are not solely focused on recovery, but place a strong emphasis on prevention, health preservation, and health promotion. Our aim is to use our knowledge and expertise to genuinely contribute to the well-being of individual people as well as society in total.

In, research, and healthcare, FHML is closely collaborating with the academic hospital in Maastricht, together forming the Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+). FHML is strongly connected in education, research, and care with the Maastricht academic hospital, together with which it forms the Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+).

FHML, which is the largest faculty of Maastricht University, is formed by an (inter)national community of employees and students. The faculty offers a wide range of Dutch and English-taught bachelor's and master's programs in innovative educational concepts in which the emphasis is always on building bridges to practice.

The multidisciplinary research of the FHML focuses on a number of carefully chosen topical current themes. In addition to research aimed at gaining new insights, it also concerns research whose results can be directly translated into concrete applications and innovations. The implementation of the various research programs is organized in our six graduate schools and two institutes.

Department
The departments of Toxicogenomics and Bioinformatics-BiGCaT are part of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life sciences and further embedded in the research instiutes NUTRIM, GROW, MACSBIO, and MHeNS. Integrative Systems Biology is being developed and applied in various research fields. The department has four core research areas; 1) Metabolic diseases, 2) Micronutrients, 3) Toxicity and risk assessment and 4) Rare diseases. Within these areas different types of data, like transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and (epi)genomics data, are collected , integrated and combined with existing knowledge.

Curious?
Are you interested in this exciting position but still have questions? Feel free to contact Friederike Ehrhart at friederike.ehrhart@maastrichtuniversity.nl for more information.

Applying?
Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new PhD Candidate? Apply now, no later than 11 August 2024, for this position.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.