Post-doctoral researcher Autoimmunity – Biomarker research in rheumatic diseases

Updated: over 2 years ago
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 04 Oct 2021

Background

You will perform research at the Faculty of Medicine and Life Science at Hasselt University.

The faculty of medicine and life sciences  contributes to sustainable solutions for health-related issues as part of the civic Hasselt University. The faculty focusses on excellence in education and research and connects with society through a strong collaboration with our partners. Starting from continuous attention for quality and innovation, the faculty is a breeding ground and magnet for talent with an open view on society, from the region to the world.

As a postdoctoral researcher Autoimmunity - Biomarker research in rheumatic diseases, you will be appointed in the research group of Prof. Veerle Somers, at the Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED) of Hasselt University in Belgium. BIOMED  is an interactive and well equipped research institute, focused on basic and preclinical research in three main disease areas: immunology, neuroscience and cardiology. BIOMED aims to translate new scientific discoveries into applications that contribute to a healthy society, in line with the civic ambition of Hasselt University. In this stimulating environment, we are looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher Autoimmunity with a focus on Biomarker research in rheumatic diseases.

Job content

The selected candidate plays a key role in the research line ‘Novel Biomarkers in Rheumatic Diseases’. This research line requires the further characterization of novel antibody biomarkers for rheumatoid arthritis, which have been identified recently in the group of Prof. Somers at BIOMED. In a first part, the importance of the identified biomarkers will be studied, with respect to supporting diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of therapy response. In a second part, the biological relevance of these antibody biomarkers with respect to the underlying disease process, will be investigated.

The successful candidate will make use of a wide range of biochemical and molecular biology techniques (such as antibody reactivity measurement using ELISA, affinity purification of human polyclonal antibodies, DNA cloning techniques, heterologous protein expression, protein purification, proteomics), as well as in vitro cellular research using models of rheumatic diseases. This research is performed in the context of a team, and next to his/her own research activities, the candidate also supervises the work of PhD students, students and lab technicians in the research group. The candidate strengthens the research line with knowledge on the topic and/or technical expertise, and is also responsible for writing new project applications. He/She plays an important role in expanding and maintaining collaborations with companies and academic groups in the domain of rheumatic diseases.



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