Are you holding Master’s degree and looking for fully funded PhD positions? VIB-KU Leuven, Belgium invites online application for multiple funded PhD Programs / fully funded PhD positions in various research areas.
Candidates interested in fully funded PhD positions can check the details and may apply as soon as possible. Interested and eligible applicants may submit their online application for PhD programs via the University’s Online Application Portal.
1. Fully Funded PhD Position in Tumor Inflammation and Angiogenesis
Summary of PhD Program:
The Laboratory of Tumor Inflammation and Angiogenesis, headed by Prof. Massimiliano Mazzone, is embedded in an international and multi-disciplinary research environment of the VIB Center for Cancer Biology (CCB), located on Campus Gasthuisberg of the University of Leuven. The mission of the lab is to unravel the interplay taking place in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and whenever suitable, exploit these insights to develop novel therapeutic approaches aimed to impact cancer progression through re-education of the immunosuppressive tumor ecosystem. De facto, the research topics span the fields of tumor biology, immunology, metabolism, and angiogenesis, focusing on the functional characterization of environmental cues of the TME dictating the cancer immune cell landscape.
Application Deadline: Open until filled
2. Fully Funded PhD Position in cryo-EM of membrane proteins
Summary of PhD Program:
A Ph.D. position is available in the laboratory “Structure and Function of Membrane Proteins” at the VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Brussels, Belgium. For our growing team, we are offering a Ph.D. position to solve membrane protein structures through cryo-EM. The lab offers several projects on disease-relevant ion channels, lipid scramblases, and transporters which will be negotiated with the candidate. Our projects are connected to central cell biological and neurobiological questions but offer also aspects of translational research.
Application Deadline: Open until filled
Follow FellowshipBard for daily updates!
3. Fully Funded PhD Position in Molecular and Computational Neurogenomics
Summary of PhD Program:
The overarching goal of this proposal is to understand why and how dysregulation of omnipresent and constantly expressed ARS proteins leads to dying-back neurodegeneration and affects specifically the peripheral neurons (PNs). This neuronal population contains the most polarized cells in our body and their sophisticated morphology and function render them highly susceptible to degeneration. The preliminary data generated in-house as well as the available public data suggest mechanisms involving genetic, epigenetic and chromatin organisation factors governing the cell-type specific response to ARS mutations.
Application Deadline: Open until filled
4. 06 Fully Funded PhD Position in Medical Biotechnology
Summary of PhD Program:
1. Multi-omics characterization of immune triggers in Moyamoya disease – Impens Lab
This Ph.D. project will focus on a rare disorder called Moyamoya, with the overall ambitious aim to solve the etiology of this mysterious disease. Moyamoya is characterized by progressive narrowing of arteries at the base of the brain leading to stroke. While genetic mutations in ring finger protein 213 (RNF213) are a risk factor for Moyamoya, further underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Recently, our group discovered RNF213 as a novel antibacterial protein, strongly suggesting a role in the immune response to infection in the development of Moyamoya.
2. Computational mass spectrometry – Martens Lab
Mass spectrometry is the method of choice for the high-throughput analysis of small molecules and proteins, with modern instruments providing detailed information on these fascinating (bio-) molecules in the form of fragmentation spectra, liquid chromatography retention times, and, increasingly, ion mobility behaviour. The interpretation of this acquired information is, however, non-trivial, and sophisticated data processing and analysis approaches have therefore been developed over the years to make sense of mass spectrometry data.
3. Development and exploitation of a novel glycosylation-enabled antibody-drug conjugate technology – Callewaert Lab
The antibody-drug conjugation (ADC) paradigm in biopharmaceutical innovation aims for targeted delivery of drugs that would otherwise be too toxic for indiscriminate exposure of all cells and tissues. In recent years, the structure-activity and structure-safety relationships of antibody-linker-drug properties have become more clear and several ADCs have been developed that are making a major impact in the clinic. Our lab has developed proof of concept for a new site-selective ADC production technology that strikes an optimal balance between desirable ADC properties and ease of scaling of the production without requiring highly complex chemistry.
4. Development and exploitation of novel proteomics technology to hunt for novel immunotherapy targets on cancer cells – Callewaert Lab
Most of the targeted cancer immunotherapy modalities require the availability of a highly specific molecular target on the surface of the cancer cells or their immediate environment. There are unfortunately quite few such targets known, especially for carcinomas, severely hampering progress in the immunotherapy field. In our lab, we have obtained proof of concept for a completely new methodology to discover glycopeptides with cancer-associated structure, and directly quantify these on tumor vs. healthy tissues. In this Ph.D. project, the enzymatic/chemical sample preparation, mass spectrometrical proteomics, and bio-informatics aspects of this new discovery pipeline will be optimized and streamlined.
5. Functional studies on N-terminal proteoforms of tRNA ligases – Gevaert Lab
An aminoacyl-tRNA ligase loads a tRNA molecules with an amino acid, which is then transferred by a ribosome to form proteins. These enzymes are essential for RNA translation and protein synthesis but have extra domains that enable interactions with various proteins, including those involved in tumorigenesis and angiogenesis. In this way, they play important roles in other cellular processes with implications for health and disease. In earlier studies, we identified a number of N-terminally shorter tRNA ligases (N-terminal proteoforms) which we will here functionally explore by means of interactomics and localization studies amongst others.
6. Coronavirus control – Saelens Lab
There is a pressing need for broadly neutralizing, affordable, and stable anti-coronavirus biologics. The aim of this Ph.D. project is to design vaccines that can induce immunity against a broad range of coronaviruses. Complementary to that, the second aim is to identify antibodies with broad coronavirus-neutralizing activity.
Application Deadline: Open until filled
5. 10 Fully Funded PhD Position in neurotechnology, neural circuits, and behavior.
Summary of PhD Program:
We offer a 4-year Ph.D. training program with access to state-of-the-art research facilities. With their advisor, Ph.D. students work together with internationally recognized scientists to develop their research projects in an exciting research environment. In addition to guidance from their advisor, students are also advised by their thesis committee members to support their academic and professional development.
We are committed to career development. As a Ph.D. student, you will get intensive and dedicated supervision and access to an extensive training course program available through our different affiliated institutes. After successful completion of the program, you will be awarded a Ph.D. degree from KU Leuven. Our students enroll in the programs of the doctoral schools of biomedical sciences, humanities or social sciences, or science, engineering & technology.
Application Deadline: Open until filled
6. Fully Funded PhD Position in amyloidosis diseases
Summary of PhD Program:
We are looking for an enthusiastic Ph.D. student to join our amyloidosis research team in the Switch lab. The candidate will be part of a unique team of research scientists and clinicians that closely work together to have direct impact on amyloidosis patient care. The candidate will be directly supervised by an experienced amyloid scientist and will work towards developing novel approaches to detect, characterize, and treat the occurrence of specific amyloids in patients. This journey brings together different fields of science as amyloids are defined by a specific protein structure (structural biology) that exerts specific cellular effects (cellular biology).
Application Deadline: Open until filled
7. Fully Funded PhD Position in Brain & Disease Research
Summary of PhD Program:
The VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research is recruiting enthusiastic, creative, ambitious, and highly motivated Ph.D. candidates to join us starting autumn 2024! Our different research groups explore how the brain and nervous system develops, ages, and functions in health and disease by bridging disciplines, from artificial intelligence, microelectronics, and nanoscience, to microfluidics, single-cell and molecular analysis, functional genomics, and cell biology in human cells and animal models.
