Post-doctoral position in Radiation Neurobiology

Closing date: December 1

Job description

Radiotherapy is a cornerstone in cancer treatment. However, its effectiveness is often constrained by damage to surrounding healthy tissues. A promising innovation, known as FLASH radiotherapy, delivers radiation at ultra-high dose rates—approximately 1000 times faster than conventional methods. This approach has shown potential to significantly reduce harm to normal tissues while maintaining effective tumour control.

The current project is dedicated to investigating the normal tissue response to FLASH radiotherapy. It offers a multidisciplinary research environment, encompassing molecular cell biology, bioinformatics, and behavioural neuroscience. The appointed Post-doctoral Researcher will contribute to this project by performing bioinformatics analyses, such as single-nuclei and spatial transcriptomics, and conducting in vivo animal studies, with a particular focus on behavioural testing to assess neurological outcomes.

Working environment

The University of Groningen and the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) provide an excellent working environment for high-quality biomedical research and scientific training. This post-doctoral position is based in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the UMCG and is embedded within the Department of Biomedical Sciences. The position is supervised by Dr. Lara Barazzuol and is part of a project funded by the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF). Dr. Barazzuol’s research group focuses on the side effects of cancer treatments on the brain and central nervous system (CNS), with particular emphasis on radiotherapy-induced neurological dysfunction and DNA repair-related neurodegenerative diseases. The ultimate goal is to translate these insights into clinical applications.

What do we need

We are looking for an excellent and highly motivated candidate with strong laboratory skills, preferably with a background in neuroscience, biology, bioinformatics, or related fields.

What do we offer

Your salary will be a maximum of € 5.669,- gross per month (scale 10), depending on your qualifications and relevant experience, based on a full-time appointment. The terms of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centers (CAO-UMC). The duration of the project is 18 months. The initial contract will be for 1 year and after positive evaluation this will be extended for 6 additional months. 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).

The application form requires:

• A short motivation letter; please include why you are interested in this position.
• A copy of your CV.
• The names and contact information of two references.

For questions about the position:
Dr. Lara Barazzuol, Associate Professor and Group Leader at the Department of Radiation Oncology and the Department of Biomedical Sciences.

https://umcgresearch.org/w/molecular-radiation-biology