Postdoc position in Organoid Biology and Advanced-Human Relevant Tissue Models

We offer a 2-year full-time (1.0 FTE) Postdoc position supported by the European Innovation Council project “REliable animal-free and high-throughput VOLumetric bioprinting of functional 3D assays” (REVOLV).

Dit ga je doen

New developments in organoid biology and bioprinting are opening new avenues for the generation of advanced, human-relevant in vitro models to replace animal experimentation and improve drug development pipelines in pharmaceutical research. To fully unlock this potential, engineering 3D tissues requires control over a complex and tightly choreographed interplay between cellular communication, cellular self-organization programs, and cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions.

The REVOLV project focuses on developing engineered, organoid-based miniaturized models of the vascularized human liver, using a new volumetric bioprinting technology to generate hundreds of samples in a few minutes in a manner compatible with high-throughput production and screening. These technologies are highly novel and one-of-a-kind, and the project is expected to result in several highly impactful publications and patents. You will collaborate with international partners, with opportunities for research exchanges. As a member of the Living Matter Engineering and Biofabrication team, based at the Department of Orthopaedics and at the Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht, collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, physicists, chemists, biologists, and engineers is an essential part of the job.

You will co-supervise PhD students and work closely with colleagues from Utrecht University. We offer an exciting opportunity to contribute to an ambitious and international research program within a highly motivated team and to conduct your work at a renowned research university. Teaching opportunities are available if desired. You will receive training, personal supervision, and guidance for your research and career development, including support for the acquisition of personal funding, providing an excellent basis for an independent academic career.

Hier ga je werken

This position is hosted at Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht (RMCU) and you will be appointed at the Department of Orthopaedics of UMC Utrecht. The RMCU brings together the largest number of researchers in the Netherlands to address global health care problems. Our outstanding scientists, engineers, clinicians, students, ethicists, and staff work together closely to translate scientific and technological discoveries into patient benefit. The Department of Orthopaedics at UMC Utrecht is a global leader in the development of novel regenerative technologies, such as 3D bioprinting, biomaterials and controlled release systems, and novel imaging modalities.

The department initiated the Utrecht Biofabrication Facility, a leading European knowledge center that aims at expediting emerging bioprinting technologies in areas of regenerative medicine, 3D in vitro cell culture models, and therapeutic treatments. In this research line, the Biofabrication Facility has pioneered several technologies to process living cells into spatially organized 3D constructs and is investigating their applications in regenerative medicine and for the fabrication of advanced in vitro models. The department also collaborates with the OMBION center for animal-free biomedical research and the Innovation Center for Advanced Therapies, taking key steps toward establishing the next generation of animal-free biomedical research and translating regenerative medicine treatments.

Dit neem je mee

• You hold a PhD degree in biotechnology, biomedical sciences, biology, biomedical engineering, or a related area.
• You have experience, proven by scientific publications, in organoid development and 3D tissue culture.
• Experience in liver biology and organoids, vascularization, iPSCs, stem cell engineering, synthetic biology, and hydrogels for 3D culture will be positively evaluated.
• Previous experience and affinity with bioprinting will also be positively evaluated.
• You are able to work in a multidisciplinary research environment and contribute to team efforts and projects.
• You can communicate scientific ideas effectively, foster collaboration, and encourage independent thinking.
• You have proven proficiency in written and spoken English.

Dit bieden we jou

• Year-end bonus of 8.3% and holiday allowance of 8%.
• Pension insurance with ABP; we cover approximately 70% of the monthly contribution.
• 100% public transport reimbursement. If you come on foot, by bike, or by car, you will receive a reimbursement of € 0.18 per km (by car up to a maximum of 40 km one way).
• Possibilities to develop yourself personally and professionally.
• The option to select additional employment benefits in exchange for gross salary, such as purchasing a bicycle and memberships.