PhD student: Investigating metabolic plasticity of human skeletal muscle using novel engineered pluripotent stem cell-based organoids

Skeletal muscle plays a central role in coupling movement and metabolism. If you are motivated to work at the intersection of stem cell research, genomics and tissue engineering, join our dynamic research team at the Stem Cell Institute at KULeuven to engineer novel skeletal muscle organoid systems to study the metabolic plasticity of human skeletal muscle.

The Yilmaz Laboratory for Cell Fate Transition Research is part of a broad network of research groups at KU Leuven, which ranks among the world’s top 50 universities, with excellent expertise in cell biology, genomics, bioinformatics, tissue engineering and metabolomics in mammalian cells and in different organisms. As a PhD candidate under the supervision of Prof. Atilgan Yilmaz, you will work in close collaboration with the laboratory of Prof. Ioannis Papantoniou, a leading expert in tissue engineering and biofabrication. You will be a member of the highly international Leuven Stem Cell Institute (https://www.kuleuven.be/samenwerking/scil) and utilize a unique combination of methodologies and experimental tools, including the bioprinting of novel human pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids, measurements of biophysical properties, metabolic assays, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, transcriptome analyses, immunostaining and microscopy and in vitro disease models.

Project

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Offer

We offer you:
●  a full-time PhD position, pending a positive evaluation by your PhD committee after year 1. Remuneration will be according to the KU Leuven salary scales (https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/en/phd/phd-information#working-conditions).
●  training at the KULeuven, one of the top European Universities, providing an excellent international research environment.
●  opportunities to participate in local and international conferences and thus expand your scientific network.
●  a competitive stipend and benefits based on the KULeuven employment guidelines.
●  the applicant will be fully assisted and encouraged to apply for independent funding such as the FWO PhD Fellowship.

Interested?

For more information please contact Christina Vochten mail: [email protected].

KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.