Vacancy PhD candidate 'URANU project - UNderstanding the RAdiobiology of therapeutic medical radioNUclides'

Job description

We are seeking an ambitious PhD candidate to advance radionuclide therapy as an effective and widely accessible treatment for cancer patients. If you are passionate about contributing to cutting-edge cancer research and making a real difference in patients' lives, we encourage you to apply.

In radionuclide therapy, a tumor-targeting vector is coupled to a therapeutic radionuclide to specifically irradiate tumor lesions from inside the body. This approach allows for the delivery of a high radiation absorbed dose to (metastasized) tumor lesions, while sparing healthy tissues. Despite the high potential of treatment, we currently do not know which type of radionuclide is most effective to kill cancer cells and what is its underlying mechanism of action.

Within this NWO funded consortium project UNRANU; we aim to unravel the radiobiological effects of radionuclide therapy and contribute to novel production methods for therapeutic radionuclides and patient-specific treatment.

Your primary task will be to investigate the radiolabeling of tumor-targeting vectors like small molecules and microspheres. This will involve assessing the purity and quality of radionuclides, followed by the radiolabeling of small molecules and microspheres with various radionuclides for cancer treatment. You will also play a key role in developing vectors such as microspheres and small molecules, optimizing radiolabeling procedures, conducting quality control and stability tests, and managing radioisotope waste.

Effective collaboration is essential for this role, particularly with researchers involved in radioisotope production at Delft University of Technology, and those utilizing the radiolabeled vectors for internal radionuclide therapy in tumor cell and animal models at Radboudumc and Erasmus Medical Center.

Tasks and responsibilities: 

• Investigate purity and quality of radionuclides.
• Radiolabel to several vectors like small-molecules, DTPA and microspheres with different radionuclides.
• Optimize vectors, including small molecules and various microspheres that can be labeled with radioisotopes or directly activated by neutrons in a research reactor, to improve radiolabeling efficiency. Additionally, investigate the radiolabeling percentage, shelf life of the formulation, stability in saline, blood, and serum, as well as waste products and other related factors.
• Investigate the stability, biodistribution of the vector-radionuclide constructs in biological models (cell-lines, organoids and mice tumor models)

What we offer you: 
We offer you the opportunity to work within a large consortium and maintain close connections with various stakeholders from academia, industry, and society (e.g. TU Delft, ErasmucMC, NRG|PALLAS, AlfaRIM, HUB Organoids, MILabs, Quirem Medical, RTM, Siemens Healthineers, TerThera, URENCO, Von Gahlen, VSL RIVM, Wetenschapsknooppunt, patient organisations) to plan, discuss, and perform research in a stimulating environment.

Place of work

You work in both the Department of Medical Imaging at Radboudumc in Nijmegen and the Department of Radiation Science and Technology at Delft University of Technology in Delft. These institutions have a long-standing collaboration and have established research lines focusing on the technology of neutron activation, radioisotope generators, separation methods, development of radiolabeled tracers for nuclear imaging and therapy. Within the departments, there is a strong focus on translational research by collaborations between basic scientists, translational researchers, clinical investigators, and industry partners.

Their research encompasses optimizing neutron activation, radiation chemistry, molecular studies on the mechanisms of nuclear therapies, preclinical development of new imaging and therapeutic agents for cancer patients, and conducting clinical trials. The departments has excellent research facilities, including Level B radionuclide laboratories, GMP radiolabeling facilities, and a Preclinical Imaging Center (PRIME) equipped with state-of-the-art imaging technologies such as microPET/CT, microSPECT/CT, IVIS fluorescence/bioluminescence, and small-bore high-field MRI. Additionally, Delft is uniquely equipped with its own nuclear research reactor and the necessary infrastructure for advanced research in neutron activation, radioisotopes, radiobiology, and radiochemistry.

The combined research groups in Nijmegen and Delft consist of approximately 50 researchers, including senior scientists, Post-docs, PhD students, medical doctors, and research technicians.

Radboudumc
Welcome to Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc), where scientific breakthroughs are born through the curiosity and passion of our collaborating researchers in a vibrant environment. We believe trust and excitement are crucial elements to achieving our goals, and we approach our research as teams and with the utmost rigor to make a significant impact on health and healthcare. Our researchers are driven by their fascination with the biological, psychological, and sociological mechanisms underlying health and healthcare. They collaborate with partners from all over the world to improve health outcomes for all. Radboudumc unites patient care, research, education, and corporate learning, which allows us to approach our mission to shape the health and healthcare of the future in an innovative and person-centered way.

Our ambition is to lead the way in the pursuit of prevention, sustainability, meaningful care. We believe that through our research, we can significantly improve the health and well-being of society. Join us on our mission to make a difference in healthcare. Become a part of our community of gifted researchers, professionals or patient partners who are dedicated to making a real impact on population health and healthcare. 

Read what it is like to do a PhD at the Radboud University Medical Center.

Profile

• Masters degree in Pharmacy, Clinical Technology,  Chemistry, Biomedical Sciences, Life Science,  health physics or equivalent
• Experience with working in a (radio)chemisch of (radio)pharmaceutisch laboratorium
• Permit to work with radioactivity (or willing to obtain this permit)
• Well-developed communicational and social skills directed towards working in a team
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Enthusiastic and highly motivated to successfully complete a PhD candidacy.

Employment conditions

You work in both the Department of Medical Imaging at Radboudumc in Nijmegen and the Department of Radiation Science and Technology at Delft University of Technology in Delft. At Radboud university medical center, you build on your future. We are committed to providing the best care, education, and research. And we are true to our word, because we help you develop and seize opportunities and give you the room to grow. As an employer, we believe that employees should feel vital and happy at work in all stages of life. We are also committed to creating a healthy and safe working environment. Our employment conditions contribute to that. What we offer:

• Upon commencement of employment, you will start at scale 10A, step 0 (€ 3.017 based on a full-time appointment). Over a maximum period of 4 years, you will progress to scale 10A, step 3 (€3.824 based on a full-time appointment). You will also receive an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and, depending on the position, an allowance of 47% to 72% for working irregular hours.
• 172 vacation hours per year based on a 36-hour working week. (As of 1 January 2025, you will receive 176 vacation hours).

And there is more..

• An Employment Conditions Selection Model, allowing you to use part of your employment conditions to your choosing. For example, you can use your gross salary to purchase additional vacation hours or hours for providing informal caregiving. Or, for example, you can use your gross end-of-year bonus to purchase a bicycle, so you pay less tax.
• Plenty of opportunities for personal development. You can take a variety of courses in our online learning environment. 
• Your well-being and vitality are a priority. For example:
  • Save time for work-life balance leave. 
  • You can enjoy unlimited access to a variety of activities five days a month and take advantage of all the facilities at Radboud Sport & Culture for only €27.05 per month (instead of €41)
  • Healthy Professionals program to help you manage your energy. 
  • Company Support Team and a personal coach if you are going through a life-changing event.
  • Financially beneficial working less through a Generation Scheme as you approach state pension age.
• Support in achieving a good work-life balance at every stage of your life. Examples:
  • Advice and courses on, for example, 'Millennial dilemmas' and 'Your Career After 57'.
  • Activities at our own mindfulness center.
  • Informal caregiving consultations if you have questions about juggling work and caregiving responsibilities at home.
• In addition to statutory pregnancy and maternity leave, Radboud university medical center offers 26 weeks of parental leave, nine of which are paid. In addition, as a partner you can take a maximum of five weeks of supplementary partner leave. During supplementary partner leave and parental leave, we supplement the UWV benefit up to 100% of your salary.
• Pension accrual at the ABP Pension Fund. Radboud university medical center pays 70% of the pension premium. 
• Discounts on supplementary packages of two group health insurances and ten other types of insurance, from home insurance to legal assistance.
• An allowance for your commuting costs of € 0.18 per km up to a maximum of 40 km one way. If you use public transport to commute, we will fully reimburse the public transport costs (2nd class). If you regularly work from home, you will receive a working from home allowance of € 2.35 per day.

Application procedure

Are you ready to think further for our patients and our care? We would like to receive your application before 3 October 2024. We will then contact you shortly.

Good to know

• This position requires a Certificate of Conduct (VOG).
• You can find more information about our application procedure and frequently asked questions on our website.
• Will you be our new colleague? Then you will be given the time and space to get to know your role, your workplace, and your colleagues. An induction day for all new colleagues is an integral part of your onboarding program. 

We are recruiting for this position ourselves. Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated, but do feel free to share the vacancy in your network!

Contact

Any questions? Or wondering what it is like to work at Radboudumc or at the University of Technology in Delft? Then email to Dr. Frank Nijsen, Dr. Antonia Denkova or Prof. Dr. Sandra Heskamp. Use the Apply button to submit your application.