PhD candidate in Computational Systems Biology | University of Amsterdam Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences

The Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS) is one of the Faculty of Science’s largest institutes. Its approximately 200 scientists and staff members work in 14 research groups that perform excellent research centered on four themes: 1) The Living Cell, 2) Plant Signaling, 3) Neuroscience, and 4) Life Science Technologies.

The research group Synthetic Systems Biology investigates, through an integration of experimental and computational approaches, how molecular interactions lead to biological function and how one may interfere in the medical, synthetic and systems biology sense. It is a hub in European Systems Biology. In this context we are seeking a PhD candidate.

Project description

'Making systems biology work: live maps of the human'

Systems Biology discovers how the networking of molecules and of supramolecular structures produces the functionalities of living organisms. Matteo Barberis and Hans Westerhoff have engaged in such discoveries in areas such as metabolism, the cell cycle, gene expression, and signal transduction with both medical and biotechnological perspectives. This project aims to improve the ways computational systems biology can link up functions from different areas of biology. It will make genome-wide maps for individual humans and calculate possible metabolic impairments of each individual. It will also compute individually optimized diets for individuals that want to stay away from obesity. This should provide a work floor for individualized medicine. Then the project will connect dynamic models of metabolic, cell cycle and epigenetic networks to these maps and will put in place methodologies to add expression levels. The project is a generalization of the challenge of multi-scale modeling so as to add temporal, organizational, chemical and functional dimensions to spatial scales. This project will be supervised by Dr. Matteo Barberis and Prof. Hans Westerhoff at the Amsterdam Faculty of Science-location of SILS.

Requirements

The PhD candidate has experience in dynamic modeling and is an enthusiastic scientist with appreciation of biological or medical experimentation. The candidate has the desire to contribute to the success of team work and the ambition to put systems biology in place.

Further information

Project information can be obtained from:

Dr. M. Barberis, T: +31 (0)20 525 8686

Prof. H.V. Westerhoff (Αυτή η διεύθυνση Email προστατεύεται από τους αυτοματισμούς αποστολέων ανεπιθύμητων μηνυμάτων. Χρειάζεται να ενεργοποιήσετε τη JavaScript για να μπορέσετε να τη δείτε.), T: +31 (0)20 525 7930

Appointment

The appointment will be on a temporary basis for a period of 4 years (initial appointment will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it can be extended for a total duration of 4 years) and should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). An educational plan will be drafted that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. The PhD candidate is also expected to assist in teaching of undergraduates.

Based on full-time appointment (38 hours per week) the gross monthly salary will range from €2,083 in the first year to €2,664 in the final year. The Collective Employment Agreement (CAO) of the Dutch Universities is applicable.

Job application

To save paper and the environment, applications may only be submitted by electronic mail to Αυτή η διεύθυνση Email προστατεύεται από τους αυτοματισμούς αποστολέων ανεπιθύμητων μηνυμάτων. Χρειάζεται να ενεργοποιήσετε τη JavaScript για να μπορέσετε να τη δείτε.. To process your application immediately, please quote the vacancy number 13-291 and the position you are applying for in the subject-line.

Applications must include a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, a cover letter and the names and contact details of two academic referees. All these should be grouped in one PDF attachment.

Applications will be accepted until 31 October 2013.