PhD Position Epigenetic Editing for Cultivated Meat

Are you ready to develop cutting edge epigenetic tools to engineer the next generation of animal cell lines for cost-effective, scalable, delicious cruelty-free meat?!

Job description

‘Cultivated meat’, the production of genuine meat products from in vitro culture of animal cells, is an emerging biotechnology within the field of cellular agriculture with the potential to revolutionise food production from both an environmental and ethical perspective. Unfortunately, higher eukaryotic cells in their unmodified state have severe limitations with respect to in vitro culture, presenting major challenges for the scalability and cost-effectiveness of cultivated meat bioprocesses. These include limited cellular lifespans, slow proliferation rates, demanding medium requirements and a preference for adherent growth, amongst others. Cell engineering using genetic modification can solve some of these problems, but introduces regulatory complexities and biological challenges of its own.

Epigenetic editing, the controlled reprogramming of endogenous gene expression using sequence-specific DNA- and histone-modifying tools, might be a potential solution. We are hiring a PhD student to join the Flack group for a fully-funded project of 4 years. You will develop tools and methods for epigenetic editing, and use these to engineer bovine satellite cell lines with a variety of new and improved phenotypes, relating to (for example) suspension culture, growth factor requirements, and metabolic efficiency.

Within the scope of epigenetic editing for cultivated meat, there will be freedom to direct your own research projects and to become acquainted with new techniques and approaches. There will be opportunities to supervise MSc and BSc students in the group. Advice and discussion will be available for candidates interested in both academic and industry careers. We are a friendly, collaborative group and are looking for a highly motivated student with strong scientific communication skills. You will be joining a dynamic department with broad interests in biotechnology and synthetic biology across all domains of life.

The research is funded as part of the NWO Open Technology Programme, and will involve collaboration and coordination with several industrial parties.

Job requirements

The ideal candidate will be an ambitious, proactive, reflective, and results-driven researcher. We are looking for the following:

• MSc degree in a relevant field, such as cell biology, biotechnology or a related field of biological sciences (essential)
• Prior lab experience in molecular biology, cloning and genetic manipulation (essential)
• Prior expertise with mammalian cell culture (highly desirable)
• Prior experience with gene editing and/or cell engineering (e.g. CRISPR/Cas or related techniques - highly desirable)
• A strong interest in cellular agriculture/cultivated meat is essential, although specific prior experience in this area is not expected or required
• Strong collaboration, communication and writing skills

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society.

Faculty Applied Sciences

The Faculty of Applied Sciences is an inspiring scientific ecosystem with broad interests including biotechnology and synthetic biology.

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis.