What will you do
RF1: Development of new assays to accurate determine functional micronutrient body status
Duration: 36-48 months
Supervisors:
- Dr. Lennard Dekker (RHMDC)
- Dr. Angelique de Man (Amsterdam UMC)
- Dr. Linda IJsselstijn (RHMDC)
Doctoral enrolment: Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School
Project description:
The aim of the project is to correlate the concentrations of biomarkers to identify deficiencies in micronutrients, like vitamins and metal-ions in critical ill patients. The PhD study is composed of three intertwined activities. First, to deploy high-resolution LC-MS and ICP-MS methods for the measurement of the concentrations of metabolites and micronutrients in relevant body compartments. Second, to validate the developed methods on clinical samples obtained from the ICU of the Amsterdam UMC. Samples will be collected during a secondment at the Amsterdam UMC. Third, the commercialization of the development methods during another secondment in collaboration with the company Diagnotix located in Appingedam
Your main tasks and responsibilities in this project are:
Commercialization of development assays
Develop methods for intracellular measurements of micronutrients
Validate the develop methods on clinical samples obtained from the ICU
Project description:
Micronutrient deficiencies are common in critically ill and burn patients and may significantly delay recovery. However, current diagnostic methods are often insufficient, and clinical care typically relies on fixed-dose supplementation rather than personalised treatment strategies.
Within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions–funded BIO-MICRO project, this PhD position aims to investigate the impact of functional micronutrient status on clinical outcomes in critically ill burn patients.
This project is embedded in BIO-MICRO’s broader aim to achieve personalised micronutrient therapy in critical illness. The project addresses key knowledge gaps on functional micronutrient status and its association to inflammation, wound healing, organ dysfunction and long-term outcomes in patients with burns, a group with extreme metabolic stress and losses.
Your main tasks and responsibilities in this project are:
- Perform a systematic review on micronutrient status, function and losses in patients with burns, and translate these findings into hypotheses and analysis plans for the clinical observational study.
- Coordinate and conduct inclusion and follow-up of patients with burns in a multicentre clinical observational study, including structured collection of clinical data, biospecimens and burn-specific outcomes.
- Investigate micronutrient status in burn wound fluid.
- Analyse changes in micronutrient levels across the recovery trajectory after burns and relate these to functional outcomes within the PICS domains.
- Prepare scientific outputs and actively contribute to BIO-MICRO network meetings, workshops and secondments.
What do we expect
We seek a highly motivated scientist who is interdisciplinary with a strong foundation in analytical chemistry or analytical biochemistry. The candidate has demonstrated experience in advanced analytical technique, data management and bio-informatics. A background in metabolomics, trace element analysis, or clinical biochemistry is highly desirable.
The candidate should have hands-on experience with high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), as these techniques are central to the quantitative measurement of metabolites and micronutrients in biological matrices. The project should result in the successful completion of a PhD thesis.
To be eligible for this position, applicants must meet the Marie Skłodowska-Curie admission requirements:
- You must not already hold a doctoral degree.
- You must comply with the MSCA mobility rule: you must not have resided in or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in The Netherlands for more than 12 months during the three years immediately prior to recruitment.
In addition, you meet the following requirements and experience:
- You have a Master’s degree in in Analytical (Bio-)Chemistry or a related field
- You are a team player with an open attitude, and you are comfortable giving and receiving feedback.
- You have a solution-oriented mindset; you approach problems in an effective and goal-oriented manner.
- You are communicatively strong; you express yourself clearly in English both oral and in writing, knowledge of the Dutch language is desirable.
Your working environment
The research fellow will work in a nationally operating laboratory that has close ties with the top clinical hospital Reinier de Graaf. This means you will have opportunities for continuous development. At the Clinical Chemistry department of the RHMDC Delft, a range of analyses, including vitamins, hormones, and micronutrients, are performed using a wide variety of techniques. In addition to these routine tasks, we are always looking for new tests to implement, are innovators in the area of analyses techniques, robotizing and sample preparation and processing steps. We are involved and coordinate research projects both internal and in collaboration with other research institutes. You will work in a team that consist of 12 technician a senior scientist and a lab manager. The functional management of the team is carried out by two clinical chemists.
The research fellow will be supervised by Lennard Dekker, senior scientist and Linda IJsselstijn, clinical chemist. External supervision in this project comes from Angelique the Man, critical care doctor at Amsterdam UMC. Two six months secondmends are part of the project one at the Amsterdam UMC and one at Diagnotix in Appingedam.
What we offer
This PhD position is funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) of the European Union’s Europe 2024 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 101226686. You will be appointed as fulltime PhD student for 3 years at the RHMDC.
Salary scale: Market competitive based on a 36 hour week, depending on qualifications and experience. Successful candidates will receive an attractive base-salary in accordance with the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, for 36 months. The exact (net) salary depends on the EU-defined country correction factor, and on local tax regulations (for additional information see EU MSCA website). Exact salary will be confirmed upon appointment .
Doctoral candidates will receive a living allowance of €4010/month (correction factor to be applied per country, and local employer’s contribution and tax regulations). They will also benefit from a monthly mobility allowance of €710. In addition a family monthly allowance of €660 (if applicable) is on offer to fellows with a spouse &/or child/children. Successful applicants are eligible for parental leave in compliance with the Dutch legislature.
Good secondary benefits in accordance with the Hospital Collective Labor Agreement (CAO), including participation in our collective disability insurance, where we contribute half of the premium. In addition to the CAO benefits, we offer extra perks such as a comprehensive vitality program, including mindfulness, bootcamp ect. There is also coaching and an active employee association. An open company culture with plenty of room for individual input and innovation.
In addition to your local PhD training, you will participate in a comprehensive and attractive educational programme specifically designed for the 13 Research Fellows within the BIO-MICRO consortium. The BIO-MICRO training programme offers a blended learning approach that combines monthly interactive live online sessions (60–90 minutes) with in-person workshops. The online curriculum covers essential topics in clinical research, including epidemiology, biostatistics, observational and clinical trial design, statistical computing, and scientific writing. In addition, four intensive three-day in-person workshops are dedicated to the development of both academic and transferable skills. In addition, all fellows will carry out 12 months of secondments and will be enabled to participate in relevant international scientific conferences. Together, this structured training programme is designed to optimally prepare you for a successful career as Analytical (Bio-Chemistry expert.
If you don’t have the nationality of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you will need a residence permit to live and work in The Netherlands.
Yes, I want this job!
Interested in applying for the position? Follow this link: https://emp.jobylon.com/jobs/350828-rhmdc-msca-dn-phd-position-development-of-new-assays-to-accurate-determine-functional-micronutrient-body-status/
