"PhD student: Investigating Metabolic and Neuropathological interactions"

Do you want to unravel the links between cognitive symptoms, neuropathology and immune-metabolic functioning in people with chronic fatigue? People with Myalgic encephalomyelitis or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) often experience problems with concentration, information processing and memory, but these symptoms are poorly understood and measured. Recent work suggests that changes in immune and metabolic processes in people with ME/CFS or other post-infectious diseases affect brain functioning. This provides new hypotheses on how cognitive function is affected in ME/CFS. In this interdisciplinary project, we will investigate the links between cognitive functioning (as assessed by online tests), brain pathology and functioning (as assessed by structural and functional MRI) and immune-metabolic functioning (as assessed by blood sample analyses). These insights can improve the assessment of fatigue-related neurocognitive symptoms and may lead to new therapeutic approaches for cognitive symptoms in ME/CFS.

Your responsibilities

• Assist in collection of neuroimaging data for the Netherlands ME/CFS Cohort and Biobank at the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging in Nijmegen.
• Perform advanced analyses of neuroimaging data (including Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS), and (resting state) network analyses), neurocognitive data (Amsterdam Cognition Scan), and explore new cross-modal methodological approaches to assess their relationship with immune-metabolic profiles.
• Prepare scientific (review) articles to be published in international journals, resulting in a dissertation.
• Present key findings at scientific conferences and symposia for patients and the general public.
• Actively contribute to Open Science and Team Science.
• Contribute to education and supervision (e.g. supervising bachelor theses).

Context

This project is a collaboration between Tilburg University, the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging (DCCN) in Nijmegen, and the Netherlands ME/CFS Cohort and Biobank (NMCB) consortium. You will be part of the research group in Tilburg (supervised by Dr. Marieke van der Schaaf) and have a guest account at the DCCN, where you will be part of the PI group of Prof. Dr. Esther Aarts. This project is funded by the ZonMW ME/CFS research agenda (https://www.zonmw.nl/nl/nieuws/subsidie-voor-7-nieuwe-biomedische-onderzoeken-naar-mecvs) and is part of the NMCB consortium (https://nmcb.eu/). The NMCB is a collaboration between research institutes, medical centers and patient organizations to set up and coordinate a national infrastructure for biomedical research for ME/CFS and other post-infectious syndromes. This includes data collection within a national patient cohort and biobank and support for various research projects.

Requirements

• You have completed a master’s degree in cognitive neuroscience, cognitive science, (bio)medical sciences, neuropsychology or related field.
• You have a strong motivation to conduct interdisciplinary and patient-oriented research at the intersection of neuroscience, neuropsychology, immunology, microbiology and medical sciences.
• You preferably have experience with quantitative data analysis of neuroimaging data, such as Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS), or (resting state) network analysis.
• Data analysis and programming skills (Python, Matlab, R) and a keen interest in organizing large data collections and open data science are an important asset.
• You possess excellent collaborative and communication skills both scientifically and towards patient representatives and the general public.
• You are able to work effectively within a large interdisciplinary consortium with collaborators across different institutions and scientific fields.
• You can take a proactive and structured approach to work, work independently, are able to find and use knowledge from experts.
• You have sufficient proficiency in English (level C1 or Higher) to read scientific literature, communicate in a research context, and document your work clearly in written and oral form. Proficiency of the Dutch language is an asset, given your role in data collection and communication with patient representatives.

Conditions of employment

Tilburg University offers excellent benefits in a pleasant working environment: Employment of 1.0 fte (38-40 hours per week). A salary of minimum €3.059 and maximum €3.881 gross per month for full-time employment, based on UFO profile PhD and salary scale PhD. Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system based on relevant work experience. This is a vacancy for a PhD in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 8 sub b CLA DU. You will initially be given a temporary contract for the duration of 12 months. Vacation pay of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. Over 8 weeks of vacation leave. Hybrid working with home working allowance (€2 p/day) and internet allowance (€25 p/month). Reimbursement sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, and public transport. Options model for additional leave, pension, a bicycle or personal training. Moving allowance (subject to conditions). Employees from abroad may be eligible for a tax-free allowance for extraterritorial expenses equal to 30% of taxable salary. A pension with ABP; the largest Dutch pension fund. Ample training offer: personal development, leadership, education, research or language courses. Inclusive work culture: everyone welcome, equal opportunities. A green, inviting campus that’s easily accessible by public transport. For more information, please see our website and the CLA Dutch Universities.