PhD cardiologie (selenium)

As a researcher you want to matter. You really want to make a difference in the lives of people with a cardiovascular condition. Now and in the future.

Job description

• Heart failure is a major health problem, causing severe symptoms and increased mortality. Essential micronutrient deficiencies are common in patients with heart failure, adding to the burden of disease. Among the most important of these is deficiency in selenium (prevalence 25%).
• Our team's recent research has resulted in optimized methods to detect subjects with this deficiency (Bomer et al. EJHF 2020; Al-Mubarak et al. 2022) and to identify how this affects the human cardiomyocyte. Although multiple treatment strategies are now available, further research is required to determine their effectiveness.
• For this project, the doctoral student will create three-dimensional human heart tissues and subject them to micronutrient deficiencies to identify innovative targets and mechanisms. Next, the different treatment strategies will be tested. In collaboration with a medical PhD student, stable isotope targeting studies will be conducted in patients with severe heart failure.
• A keen interest in cardiology and translational science is required. The PhD candidate will employ an array of methods including cell culture, tissue engineering, histology, and transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic assays. The findings from these studies will be published in peer-reviewed journals and will lead to an academic dissertation (PhD).

Department description

• You are a member of an exceptional team with strong interaction between experimental, genetic, epidemiological and clinical research groups, all situated on the same floor.
• The Principal Investigator (PI) is actively engaged, fostering interactions with team members and conducting weekly meetings.
• Our well-funded environment ensures that you will have unrestricted access to all resources necessary for the successful execution of your project.
• You will collaborate with various PhD students and postdocs dedicated to the same research topic, fostering a collaborative team dynamic.
• Our team maintains strong connections with the translational cardiology community in both Europe and the USA.

Working environment

As a researcher you want to matter. You really want to make a difference in the lives of people with a cardiovascular condition. Now and in the future.

That is why you consciously choose to work at the Department of Cardiology of the UMCG, a dynamic department where research and clinical practice are intertwined. We translate problems that we experience in clinical practice into scientific research. We improve patient care with the results of our scientific research. We believe that providing talent room to develop, a solution can ultimately be found for every cardiovascular condition. As a PhD student, UMCG Cardiology therefore offers you plenty of opportunities to follow your interests and let your talent blossom.

What do we need

• A master’s degree in (bio-medical or medical) sciences.
• Interest in translational cardiology.
• Previous hands-on experience with cell or animal models of heart disease.
• Affinity with data /-omics analysis is a big plus.
• Able to express oneself in English in word and writing.
• 2 references from PIs of Bachelor and/or Master projects.

The UMCG has a preventive Hepatitis B policy. The UMCG can provide you with the vaccination, should it be required for your position. In case of specific professions a ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’ is required.

What do we offer

A full-time appointment for one year (36 hours a week), with the possibility of extension for a maximum of four years. Your salary will be a minimum of € 3.017,- gross per month in the first year and a maximum of € 3.824,- gross per month (scale PhD) in the final (4th) year, based on a full-time appointment. In addition, the UMCG will offer you 8% holiday pay, and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.