Postdoctoral Researcher in molecular and computation...

• Apply before 23/12/2025 (DD/MM/YYYY) 23:59 (Brussels Time)
• Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Department: GE32 - Diagnostische Wetenschappen
• Occupancy rate:100%
• Number of positions: 1
• Type of employment: Contract of unlimited duration with clause
• Term of assignment: 1 jaar
• Wage scale: PD1 to PD4 (doctoral degree)
• Required diploma:PhD

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15,000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities. With its 11 faculties and more than 80 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

YOUR TASKS

The research group of Prof Tom Taghon at Ghent University in Belgium ) is looking for a motivated postdoctoral researcher with an interest in T cell development and single cell & spatial omics to join the team. We are a dynamic and international lab with a focus on the functional characterization of the molecular mechanisms that control human T cell development (Liang et al. Nat Immunol 2023, Lavaert et al. Immunity 2020; Roels et al. Nat Immunol As part of the Human Cell Atlas Thymus Seed Network, we have also been involved in high-resolution profiling of the developing human thymus using single cell multiomics and spatial transcriptomics (Yayon et al. Nature 2024, Park et al. Science 2020).

The Project:

The thymus is a specialised organ that provides the necessary microenvironment to drive the development, maturation and selection of T lymphocytes from bone marrow-derived hematopoetic progenitor cells. Initially, these precursor cells have multi-lineage potential and can differentiate into various lymphoid and myeloid immune cell types in vitro, but it remains unclear, which non-T lineages they can in fact give rise to within the physiological setting of the human thymus. The aim of the project is to investigate the potential development of alternative immune cell lineages within the fetal and postnatal thymus and to chart the role of the thymic microenvironment in this process. This will be achieved through the use of state-of-the-art technologies, such as multimodal single cell approaches (CITE-seq, scATAC-seq), spatial transcriptomics and high-throughput imaging, thus a keen interest in learning single cell/spatial data analysis is critical.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• You hold a PhD in Biology, (Bio)medical Sciences, Biotechnology, Bioinformatics or equivalent.
• You have a proven scientific track record evidenced by relevant publications.
• You have experience in the computational analysis of single cell and/or transcriptomics data using R/Python.
• Wet lab experience is beneficial but not essential.
• You have a strong enthusiasm for fundamental research and a scientific interest in the molecular genetics of immune cell development.
• You are a team player with the ability to work independently.
• You have excellent communication and writing skills in scientific English.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer you a contract of indefinite duration with a maximum term of 1 year that can be extended after that period.
• Your contract will start as soon as possible.
• Your remuneration will be determined by salary scale PD1. Click here for more information about our salary scales.
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, a bicycle allowance and eco vouchers.. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.
• You will be part of an experienced team including lab technicians and a bioinformatician that will support your work
• We provide expertise in all things T cell development and single cell genomics
• You will have the possibility to follow training activities at UGent and abroad and to attend (inter-)national research conferences
• We will support you to apply for independent fellowships and in other career building activities
• You will have the possibility to initiate and lead independent projects within the group
• We will provide opportunities to connect with other leading labs in the field through ongoing collaborations

INTERESTED?

Apply online through the e-recruitment system before the application deadline (see above). We do not accept late applications or applications that are not submitted through the online system.

Your application must include the following documents:

• In the field 'CV': your CV and an overview of your study results (merged into one pdf file)
• In the field 'Cover letter': your application letter in pdf format.
• In the field 'Diploma': a transcript of the required degree (if already in your possession). If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages.
• In the field "other documents": the contact information of 3 potential referees.

Note that the maximum file size for each field is 10 MB.

As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Tom Taghon ). Important: do NOT send your application by email, but apply online.

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