PhD on precision nutrition

Are you a nutrition or (bio)medical scientist with keen interest in precision nutrition? Do you want to coordinate or be involved in the execution of large dietary intervention trials at national or worldwide level? Are you interested in integrating different types of data in order to discover if precision nutrition works better than general dietary guidelines and to investigate whether ‘one size does not fit all’? Are you fluent in Dutch and English? Then we are looking for you.

For the same project we are also looking for a Post-doc, see that vacancy here: LINK. 

Job Description
Insulin resistance is a key factor in the development of obesity‐related cardiometabolic diseases. Dietary interventions have proven effective in preventing chronic cardiometabolic diseases. Nutritional advice is often still given via general nutritional guidelines (one‐size‐fits‐all approach). We recently demonstrated that the success of dietary intervention may increase when advice is targeted to personal characteristics like metabolic phenotype (precision nutrition).

To this end, our project involves the definition of metabolic phenotypes related to blood glucose pattern over time (glucotypes) and subsequently test whether targeting diet according to these glucotypes may improve intervention outcomes for cardiometabolic health.

Our project is part of a project within the European Innovation Council and involves collaboration between different countries (GLUCOTYPES). Within this project we are looking for a PhD candidate (as well as a Post-Doc). 

Role description: what will you do?

The PhD candidate will be mainly involved in the European project GLUCOTYPES and will:

• Study relevant literature in the field of obesity, metabolism and lifestyle interventions
• Setting up and executing a human intervention study (writing protocol for ethical clearance, practical preparation for research, patient recruitment, planning and execution of test days, data handling and analysis). Collaborate closely with colleagues within the research group and with a multidisciplinary team of (international) researchers to develop a protocol for a precision‐based dietary intervention study.
• Plan, coordinate and perform a human dietary intervention study
• Perform clinical tests, biochemical lab analyses and accompanying data analyses
• Actively contributing to other research activities within the larger research group
• Attend European project meetings
• Keeping up with the relevant scientific literature within the field of study.
• Supervision of students, where appropriate.
• Completing a PhD thesis in 4 years

Requirements

• Candidates should hold a master degree in a relevant field (e.g Nutrition sciences, biomedical sciences, medicine, health sciences).
• Demonstrated research affinity and interest in the areas of lifestyle interventions, metabolism and obesity as well as experience with dietary counselling is a preference.
• The preferred candidate is a team player with excellent organisation, collaboration, communication and wiritng skills, including speaking Dutch and English fluently.
• The candidate should have a strong drive to participate in in vivo human research on the impact of lifestyle interventions on cardiometabolic health in people with obesity.

What we offer
As PhD on precision nutrition at Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is graded in scale P according to UFO profile PhD, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from €2901,00 and €3707,00 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply.
• An employment contract for a period of 12 months with a scope of 1,0 FTE. Upon a positive evaluation, an extension of 3 years will follow. 
• At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model. 
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students. 
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'. 
   

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

Maastricht University
Why work at Maastricht University?
At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM. 

Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences
At the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML), everything revolves around healthy living. Our research and education are not solely focused on recovery, but place a strong emphasis on prevention, health preservation, and health promotion. Our aim is to use our knowledge and expertise to genuinely contribute to the well-being of individual people as well as society in total. 

In, research, and healthcare, FHML is closely collaborating with the academic hospital in Maastricht, together forming the Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+).  FHML is strongly connected in education, research, and care with the Maastricht academic hospital, together with which it forms the Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+). 

FHML, which is the largest faculty of Maastricht University, is formed by an (inter)national community of employees and students. The faculty offers a wide range of Dutch and English-taught bachelor's and master's programs in innovative educational concepts in which the emphasis is always on building bridges to practice.
 

The multidisciplinary research of the FHML focuses on a number of carefully chosen topical current themes. In addition to research aimed at gaining new insights, it also concerns research whose results can be directly translated into concrete applications and innovations. The implementation of the various research programs is organized in our six graduate schools and two institutes.

 
Department
The Department of Human Biology is part of the Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), within the Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML) of Maastricht University. The central research theme of the Department of Human Biology is Healthy Living with Obesity, Sarcopenia, Energy metabolism and Cardiometabolic Health as spearheads.

NUTRIM ‐ Research Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism is part of the Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences of the Maastricht University. NUTRIM catalyses translational research into metabolic and chronic inflammatory disorders, and aims to contribute to health maintenance and personalized medicine by unraveling lifestyle and disease‐induced derangements in metabolism, and by developing targeted nutritional, exercise and drug interventions. Within NUTRIM, approximately 400 scientists including 245 PhD students, and an additional 70 support staff members work interdisciplinary together in 16 Biomedical, clinical, and behavioral‐science departments. Through its PhD programme, NUTRIM aims to educate investigators of high scientific excellence and ambassadors to support and develop the field of nutrition and translational research in metabolism within and outside the Netherlands. NUTRIM is partner within unique consortia in which academia, industry and the government join forces to stimulate the transfer of knowledge generated in fundamental research to Dutch industry, thereby strengthening its innovative power and competitive strength.

For more information (NUTRIM website): https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/school‐nutrition‐and‐translational‐research‐metabolism

Curious?

Are you interested in this exciting position but still have questions? Feel free to contact Prof. Ellen Blaak at e.blaak@maastrichtuniversity.nl for more information.

Applying?
Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new PhD on precision nutrition? Apply now, no later than December 15, 2024, for this position.

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

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.