"PhD Student Brain multiregion singlecell transcriptomics of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/CFSyndrome NIN"

Do you want to contribute to unravelling the cellular and molecular signatures of one of the most enigmatic illnesses, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), through state-of-the-art single-nuclei transcriptomic technologies and n... This interdisciplinary project provides a unique opportunity to work with human postmortem tissue, high-throughput sequencing, and translational neuroimmunology. You will be involved in identifying molecular targets and immune biomarkers for ME/CFS, potentially guiding future therapeutic strategies. You will map transcriptional shifts in selected brain regions (hippocampus, frontal cortex, and hypothalamus) implicated in ME/CFS symptoms such as cognitive dysfunction and sleep disturbances.

You will:

• Use snRNA-seq to profile cellular heterogeneity and gene expression changes in relevant brain regions for ME/CFS symptomatology.
• Validate transcriptomic findings with immunohistochemistry and other complementary techniques.
• Collaborate with other labs to integrate brain and blood immune transcriptomics, identifying shared CNS–periphery immune alterations.

What we are offering: We offer an exciting opportunity to be part of a dynamic and interdisciplinary research environment at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN). You will benefit from a supportive team of mentors in neuroimmunology, access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, opportunities to present at national and international conferences and contribute to high-impact publications, and good terms of employment.

Requirements: You are a highly motivated and curious candidate who is eager to unravel complex disease mechanisms. You have a Master’s degree in neuroscience, bioinformatics, biomedical sciences, or a related field, a strong interest in transcriptomics, brain pathology, and neuroimmune interactions, experience with molecular biology techniques (e.g., immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, RNA-seq) is highly valued, and experience with scRNA-seq/snRNA-seq will be considered advantageous. You also have a collaborative mindset and the ability to work independently.

Conditions of employment: Fixed-term contract: 1-4 years. Depending on education and experience the minimum salary is €3059 and the maximum salary is €3881 gross per month for a full-time appointment (scale P, cao Nederlandse Universiteiten/KNAW). This is exclusive of 8% vacation allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, internet allowance, home working allowance and pension accrual with ABP. For more details, refer to the terms of employment.