Postdoc – developmental neuroscience, stem cells & bioinformatics

One-year postdoctoral position (extendable to 3 years) studying how species-specific developmental timing shapes the human thalamocortical system. Combine advanced human stem cell models/organoids with single-cell and spatial transcriptomics.

Dit ga je doen

You will lead the postdoctoral component of the ERC-funded NeuroSync project, which aims to uncover how species-specific developmental timing shapes the formation of the human thalamocortical system. Your work will sit at the interface of stem cell biology, developmental neuroscience, and computational analysis, with a particular focus on the human subplate and its interaction with early thalamic input.

You will contribute to the development and characterization of advanced human stem cell-derived models, including organoids and Forebrain Chimeroids, as well as the analysis of endogenous prenatal human tissue. In parallel, you will generate, analyze, and integrate single-cell and spatial transcriptomic datasets across in vivo and in vitro systems. Your work will aim to identify developmental trajectories, human-specific molecular features, and mechanisms that regulate subplate diversification, transient behavior, and thalamocortical communication.

The role combines experimental and computational responsibilities. You will work closely with PhD candidates, technical staff, and collaborators on stem cell culture, organoid and Chimeroid generation, tissue processing, and molecular profiling, while also taking a leading role in transcriptomic analysis, multi-omic integration, and interpretation of developmental datasets. Depending on your profile, the balance between wet-lab and computational work can be adjusted within the scope of the project.

In addition, you will contribute to experimental design, supervision of junior researchers and students, manuscript preparation, and presentation of results at scientific meetings. The position offers the opportunity to develop an independent research direction within a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative environment.

Hier ga je werken

You will work in the department of translational neuroscience at the UMC Utrecht. You will also function as a member of the Dutch ALS research center and the Utrecht Bioinformatics Center.

Dit neem je mee

You hold a PhD in developmental neuroscience, stem cell biology, bioinformatics, or a related field. You have a strong interest in human brain development and in combining experimental and computational approaches to study developmental mechanisms. Experience in either advanced stem cell-based modeling or transcriptomic data analysis is important, and interest in developing skills across both areas is highly valued.

We welcome candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas:

• human stem cell culture
• organoids
• developmental biology
• single-cell or spatial transcriptomics
• bioinformatics
• multi-omic data integration

Experience with endogenous tissue, image analysis, or comparative developmental datasets is an advantage, but not required. Candidates with complementary expertise in wet-lab and computational work are especially encouraged to apply.

You are an independent and passionate researcher who enjoys working across disciplines and contributing to a collaborative team effort. You are proactive, organized, and motivated to help build new experimental systems while also extracting biological insight from complex datasets. Strong communication skills in English, both written and spoken, are essential. You should have experience or clear potential in scientific writing, data interpretation, and presentation.

Interest in mentoring junior researchers and contributing to a positive and inclusive lab culture is highly valued. Experience with R or Python is an advantage, but candidates with a strong willingness to develop computational skills are also encouraged to apply.