PhD in MSCA Doctoral Network: in lipid immunometabolism therapy

Join Amsterdam UMC as a PhD candidate in the UNLIMITED project! Explore how lipid metabolism shapes immune function, uncover novel therapeutic targets, and receive top‑tier interdisciplinary training in immunology, metabolism, and precision medicine.

We invite applications for a full‑time PhD position within the Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Doctoral Network on “UNderstanding Lipid Immuno Metabol Ism  To trEat Disease” (UNLIMITED).

The UNLIMITED project investigates how lipid metabolism regulates immune cell function and contributes to diseases such as cancer and autoimmunity. The project combines immunology, bioinformatics, metabolism and drug development, using state‑of‑the‑art approaches including multi‑omics, single‑cell technologies and advanced lipidomics to identify novel therapeutic targets.

As a doctoral candidate, you will receive interdisciplinary and intersect oral training across academia and industry, gaining both advanced scientific expertise and transferable skills. UNLIMITED aims to advance precision medicine and generate mechanistic insights that inform the development of precision immunotherapy.

It is now well established that metabolic configuration is a key regulator of immune cell function and therefore an important factor in the development of improved diagnostics and therapies. Although opportunities to profile immunometabolism have expanded rapidly in recent years, these approaches are still not routinely applied in most academic and industrial laboratories. To advance the field, accessible and standardised tools are needed to lower the barrier to immunometabolism research and support the translation of fundamental discoveries into clinical applications.

Apply immunometabolic profiling across immune cell types and disease contexts.

• Establish and standardise cytometry‑based immunometabolic profiling panels to enable comprehensive analysis of key metabolic pathways across species.
• Identify metabolic and lipid metabolic profiles in health and disease, and determine conserved or disease‑specific signatures across cells, tissues and disease states (e.g. multiple sclerosis, lung cancer, cardiovascular disease).
• Investigate how selected interventions reshape immune cell metabolism, including lifestyle‑related changes (such as diet), immunometabolic modulators and commonly used clinical drugs, to inform diagnostic biomarkers and targeted immune interventions.

We are looking for a highly motivated researcher with the following qualifications and experience:

• a completed master’s degree in biomedical sciences, immunology, medicine, bioinformatics or a related field;
• strong interest in immunometabolism, immune cell biology and translational research;
• affinity with experimental and/or data‑driven research, such as flow cytometry, multi‑omics, single‑cell technologies or lipidomics (experience is a plus, motivation to learn is essential);
• analytical, structured and curious, with attention to reproducibility and standardisation;
• strong communication skills and motivation to work in an interdisciplinary and international research environment.

• A contract for 12 months, with the intention to extend for a total of 4 years. The Guideline PhD contract applies to this vacancy.
• Salary scale OIO: € 3.108 to € 3.939 gross based on full‑time employment (depending on education and experience) and a year‑end bonus of 8.3%.
• Vacation hours: 190.4 per year based on full‑time employment and possibility to save additional hours.
• Free and unlimited access to our online learning environment Good Habitz.
• Pension accrual with the ABP, of which we pay 70% of the premium.
• Reimbursement of your…