PhD position in metabolic imaging @MUMC+ – Lifestyle interventions to improve glucose homeostasis: moving beyond the one-size-fits-all approach

Project description

Insulin resistance is a key factor in the development of obesity-related cardiometabolic diseases. An imperative problem is that current (lifestyle) interventions are not always effective in improving insulin sensitivity and cardiometabolic health in people with obesity. Therefore, it is important to evaluate treatment responses in an early stage. Measuring metabolic responses is promising to provide early efficacy markers. To this end, this project involves the conduction of a combined lifestyle intervention and the development and application of a novel ultra-high field Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) method to measure early tissue metabolic biomarkers predicting the metabolic (non-)response to lifestyle interventions in individuals with overweight/obesity characterized by predominant skeletal muscle insulin resistance or predominant liver insulin resistance.

Role Description

The PhD candidate will:

·         Study relevant literature in the field of obesity, metabolism and lifestyle interventions

·         Work out the details of the project proposal and obtain medical ethical approval

·         Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of researchers to develop an ultra-high field MRI method to measure early tissue metabolic biomarkers

·         Plan, coordinate and perform a human lifestyle intervention study

·         Perform biochemical lab analyses, MRI-image analyses and accompanying data analyses

Main Tasks and responsibilities

We offer a challenging PhD research project and we ask for a highly motivated PhD candidate with a strong background, interest, and affinity for academic research in the area of lifestyle interventions and metabolic health in obesity to further strengthen our research group. While a strong background in MRI is not necessarily required, some experience is preferred. The candidate will be responsible for:

– Contributing to the full project plan (under supervision).

– Setting up the ultra-high field MRI protocol to measure early tissue metabolic biomarkers (in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team).

– Setting up and executing a human intervention study (writing protocol for ethical clearance, practical preparation for research, patient recruitment, planning and execution of test days, data handling and analysis).

– Preparing progress reports, writing high-quality papers to be published in international peer-reviewed journals (under supervision), and present research outcomes at national and international conferences.

– Actively contributing to other research activities within the larger research group

– Setting up and/or maintaining collaborations with other partners.

– Keeping up with the relevant scientific literature within the field of study.

– Supervising of research assistants and students, where appropriate.

– Completing a PhD thesis in 4 years.

Requirements

Candidates should hold a Master degree (MSc) in a relevant field (e.g. biomedical sciences, biomedical engineering, medicine, health sciences, nutrition or movement sciences. Demonstrated research affinity and interest in the areas of lifestyle interventions, metabolism and obesity, and medical imaging is a preference. The preferred candidate is a team player with excellent organisation, collaboration and communication skills, including speaking Dutch and English fluently. The candidate should have a strong drive to participate in in vivo human research on the impact of lifestyle interventions on cardiometabolic health in people with obesity.

Conditions of Employment

Temporary employment for 4 years. Employment period will be for one year with the perspective of prolongation after evaluation.

Your salary would be € 2222,– gross per month in the first year up to € 2840,– gross per month in the fourth year according to the PhD-student salary scale.

Each year an evaluation will take place.

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour

Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees.

Department

The Department of Human Biology is part of the Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), within the Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML) of Maastricht University. The central research theme of the Department of Human Biology is Healthy Living with Obesity, Sarcopenia, Energy metabolism and Cardiometabolic Health as spearheads.

NUTRIM – Research Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism is part of the Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences of the Maastricht University. NUTRIM catalyses translational research into metabolic and chronic inflammatory disorders, and aims to contribute to health maintenance and personalized medicine by unraveling lifestyle and disease-induced derangements in metabolism, and by developing targeted nutritional, exercise and drug interventions. Within NUTRIM, approximately 400 scientists including 245 PhD students, and an additional 70 support staff members work interdisciplinary together in 16 Biomedical, clinical, and behavioral-science departments. Through its PhD programme, NUTRIM aims to educate investigators of high scientific excellence and ambassadors to support and develop the field of nutrition and translational research in metabolism within and outside the Netherlands. NUTRIM is partner within unique consortia in which academia, industry and the government join forces to stimulate the transfer of knowledge generated in fundamental research to Dutch industry, thereby strengthening its innovative power and competitive strength.

For more information (NUTRIM website):

https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/school-nutrition-and-translational-research-metabolism

Employer

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 16,300 students and 4,300 employees. Reflecting the university’s strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

Additional information

Further information on this vacancy can be obtained at the project leaders:

Prof. Dr. Gijs H. Goossens

Department of Human Biology

Maastricht University

E-mail: G.Goossens@maastrichtuniversity.nl

and

Prof. Dr. Jeanine Prompers

Department of Human Biology

Maastricht University

E-mail: Jeanine.Prompers@maastrichtuniversity.nl