PhD Candidate Translational local drug delivery

Welcome to Maastricht University! 
The Experimental Pain Medicine group of the department of Anesthesiology is looking for an energetic and creative PhD candidate for a multidisciplinary project aiming towards a breakthrough in controlled release formulation design. 

PhD Candidate Translational local drug delivery 

• Our goal: Local controlled drug release by degradable biomaterials holds great promise as safe and effective tool to treat local disease, as compared to systemic administration commonly inducing side effects. However, the discrepancy between in vitro release of newly developed formulations and actual release in the body has been a major barrier. A recently granted ZonMW project aims to develop algorithms that can be used to design local drug release formulations matching the desired in vivo release profile.
• Your colleagues: Your work will be intimately intertwined with the machine learning modelling of the consortium members of the Computing Sciences department, and the Pharmaceutical Sciences department in Utrecht, in which latter you will learn to prepare the drug release formulations to be tested in the project. At Maastricht University, you will be embedded in the Experimental Pain Medicine group of the department of Anesthesiology and the Mental Health and Neurosciences research institute of Division 3.

Your role will be to generate large datasets on release profiles for different formulations to feed the developing machine learning models. Most data will be generated hight throughput in vitro, but a subset of formulations will also be tested in vivo in a rodent models, where you will apply advanced imaging technologies and intrathecal sampling to follow drug release and to determine fluid exchange rates in the intrathecal space, which will serve as model release location.

What you do 
In this role, your key activities will include:

• Production of microsphere-drug combinations and initial characterisation (DLS, Z potential, buffer release profiles etc.);
• Release profile generation in predefined complex media using in vivo molecular components of the extracellular fluid (In vivo Near Infrared Imaging, Spectrofluoroscopy, ELISA, UPLC);
• MRI intrathecal contrast imaging in a rat model (at UMCU high field facility);
• Intrathecal injection, microdialysis and serum sampling for systemic pharmacokinetics, perfusion fixation in rats;
• Histology for drug location. 

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we’d love to meet you. 

What you bring
We’re not looking for checkboxes; we’re interested in who you are and what you bring. Do you recognize yourself in this? 

We are looking for a strong team player who can work independently when needed, with a keen learning attitude and a passion for science.

Furthermore, you bring: 

• A Master’s degree in Pharmacology or Biomedical Sciences
• Experience with, or a demonstrated interest in, drug delivery
• Experience with, or a demonstrated interest in, translational interdisciplinary research
• FELASA accreditation (art 9), because of the intended animal experiments

What we offer 
At Maastricht University, you’ll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer: 

• A 12-month contract with the possibility of a 3-year extension, based on mutual satisfaction.
• A gross monthly salary between € 3.059 and € 3.881 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week). 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus.
• 29 vacation days (based on full-time), four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day), and the possibility to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours.
• Freedom and space to shape your work independently and develop your ideas.
• A close-knit community of colleagues to collaborate and grow with.
• A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness schemes, and access to various university sports facilities.
• An inspiring work environment in the heart of Europe. 

About the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML) 
FHML is committed to health in the broadest sense: from molecule to human, and from healthcare to prevention. We train healthcare professionals and researchers through innovative educational programmes and conduct groundbreaking research in health and well-being. As part of Maastricht UMC+ (MUMC+), our international and interdisciplinary community forms a unique collaboration between university and academic hospital, where education, research, and care come together. 

Interested?

Want to know more about this position or what it’s like to work at our university? Reach out to Laura Creemers at laura.creemers@maastrichtuniversity.nl. The end date of the publication is 31 July 2026.

Please note that a reference check and an assignment are part of the application procedure.

Apply now via the button below. We look forward to getting to know you!

About Maastricht University 
At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,300 students and 5,400 employees across 5 regional locations, 6 faculties, and more than 70 research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities for yourself and the world around you. Together, we can find the answers for tomorrow. 

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized. 

At Maastricht University, we prefer to contact potential candidates directly. We therefore kindly ask that no agencies or intermediaries submit offers or approaches. 

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.