Tissue dissemination officer and research technician

Join the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience

The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN) is an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). We aim to explain how circuits of neurons enable us to see the world and act upon it.

The Netherlands Brain Bank (NBB), a department of the NIN, registers brain donors and provides well-characterized human brain tissue to scientific researchers worldwide. The NBB operates with an open-access and non-profit policy, processing 200–300 tissue requests annually from both academic and pharmaceutical research groups.

The institute for Chemical Neuroscience (iCNS) aims to discover molecular changes in the human brain underlying psychiatric symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and psychosis.

In an NWO-supported Gravitation consortium, neurobiologists, chemists, psychiatrists, and data scientists work closely together on the unique and well-documented human brain tissue from the Netherlands brain bank. Young scientists are further trained in combining chemistry, artificial intelligence, and neurobiology. Ultimately, the interdisciplinary research from iCNS will lead to a molecular “brain atlas” of psychiatric symptoms and to new leads and approaches to improve the future diagnosis, prognosis, and possible treatment of psychiatric disorders.

To support both the iCNS consortium and the NBB’s tissue dissemination, we are looking for a skilled and motivated:

Tissue dissemination officer and research technician

Tasks and Responsibilities

NBB tissue dissemination:

• Communicate with researchers who apply for NBB tissue to answer questions about the NBB and tissue availability;
• Advise the NBB Tissue Advisory Board on tissue availability to facilitate their review of applications;
• Utilize the NBB tissue database to monitor inventory, identify well-matched tissue samples, and collaborate with researchers to finalize tissue selection and prepare tissues for shipment;
• Participate in autopsy procedures and brain dissections (during office hours);
• Assist with administration, storage, and retrieval of tissue samples.

For the iCNS consortium:

• Oversee and execute the preparation and distribution of tissues to consortium partners;
• Prepare samples for high-resolution (spatial) omics analyses;
• Implement and manage a tracking system to monitor sample distribution and linking of associated data;
• Quality control of all tissue-related procedures.

Requirements

• HBO/WO education in neurobiological research or a related field;
• Strong interest in human brain research and knowledge of neuroanatomy;
• Strong interest in quality control management;
• Experience with cryosectioning;
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail;
• A team player with excellent communication skills in Dutch and English.

About us

The Netherlands Brain Bank (NBB) is driven by a dedicated team of 18 employees, based at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN) in Amsterdam. We collaborate closely with four pathologists and with technicians at the Amsterdam UMC, and with a team of 10 on-call autopsy professionals who perform autopsies during evenings and weekends.

At the NBB, we foster an informal yet professional working environment that emphasizes support and collaboration. Each tissue request brings unique challenges, which we meet with a solution-oriented and innovative mindset.

The Institute for Chemical Neuroscience (iCNS) is a multidisciplinary consortium supported by the NWO Gravitation program that includes leading Dutch universities and medical centers. Its mission is to uncover molecular mechanisms underlying psychiatric symptoms by integrating expertise from neurobiology, chemistry, psychiatry, and data science. The basis of this research is the post mortem human brain tissue provided by the NBB.

Further particulars:

Contract of employment of 1 year with the possibility to extend to 5 years.

Evaluation of candidates will begin immediately and will continue until the vacancy is filled.

More information on the NBB can be found on www.hersenbank.nl, www.brainbank.nl and www.nin.knaw.nl

About the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience
The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience is the country’s leading fundamental neuroscience research institute, in the international and progressive city of Amsterdam. It provides a critical mass of scientists (spanning more than 27 nationalities) and neuroscience facilities, in a highly interactive, dynamic, multi-cultural environment, with English as the working language.

Diversity & Inclusion
The KNAW considers a working environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated of great importance. A working environment in which attention is paid to individual quality and where development opportunities are paramount. Together we strive for an inclusive culture in which we embrace differences. We would therefore like to invite candidates who want to contribute to this through their background and experience. In the event of equal suitability, preference will be given to the candidate who thus enhances diversity within the Academy.