PhD student position PERSIMMON project Groningen • UMC Groningen

Vacature in het kort

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Kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment for patients suffering from end-stage kidney disease. Kidney transplant recipients in general live longer compared to patients who remain on dialysis and their quality of life improves enormously after a successful transplantation. Despite the availability of modern, potent immunosuppression, rejection by immune cells of the recipient still complicate many transplantations. Antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) is caused by donor-specific antibodies, results in microvascular inflammation and organ damage. ABMR affects 15%-20% of patients and typically has an insidious onset that complicates early diagnosis. In general, ABMR often occurs later after transplantation, is difficult to treat, and is the leading cause of long-term kidney allograft failure. The central hypothesis of the PERSonalized IMMunosuppression for ONe kidney for life (PERSIMMON) project which is funded by NWO is that transplantation outcomes can be improved further by personalizing immunosuppression. The aim of this PhD project is to get a better understanding of the pathophysiology of ABMR, the mechanisms underlying DSA formation/ABMR, and the role of innate immunity, in particular NK cells in these processes. This is essential to improve treatment and outcome of ABMR and kidney transplantation. For this project we are searching for one PhD student.

The University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) is one of the largest medical centers in The Netherlands. More than 12,000 employees provide patient care and medical education and perform biomedical research. The Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology at the UMCG is among the leading centers in the world in the field of kidney research. The environment is ambitious, dynamic, and international, with state-of-the-art facilities. There is a relatively large and social group of PhD students ready to welcome you. You will have the opportunity to perform cutting-edge research and to work with renowned scientists in the field of nephrology and medical biology. You will also participate in a range of courses offered by the Graduate School of Medical Sciences. The aim of the PhD program is to prepare candidates for a career as independent scientist.

• You are a highly motivated candidate with an interest in laboratory work, including cell culture, assays, and flowcytometry.
• You have an MSc in Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biochemistry or a related field.
• You have excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• You have the ability to work in a research group.
• Experience in the field of immunology or nephrology is an advantage.

PhD position: We offer a full-time appointment (36 hours a week) for a period of up to four years. The preferred starting date is November 1st, 2025. Your salary will be a minimum of € 3.108,- gross per month in the first year and a maximum of € 3.939,- gross per month (PRO salary scale) in the final year, based on a full-time appointment. Additionally, the UMCG offers an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% year-end bonus.The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centres (CAO-UMC).

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Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Transplantatiecentrum