Doctoral scholarship FRIA

Organisation/Company Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) Research Field Biological sciences » Other Medical sciences » Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Final date to receive applications 9 Mar 2026 - 22:59 (UTC) Country Belgium Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

1 - Working at the VUB

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike.

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves
. With some 4,000 employees
, we are the largest Dutch‑speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels
; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located.

Add to this our principle of free research – in which self‑reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central – and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short:
the VUB all over again
.

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA
, an alliance of like‑minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

The Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy
, Department Gerontology
, Research Group
Vitality Research Group is looking for a PhD‑student with a doctoral grant
.

More concretely your work package,
for the preparation of a doctorate
, contains:

Chronic low‑grade inflammation (CLIP) in ageing impairs immune response and recovery from infection. The aim of the STIMULATE‑project is to unravel if and how strength training (ST) can counter inflammation and improve immune function in older persons with different levels of systemic inflammation.

The project focuses on two main objectives, namely:

1: to unravel the muscle‑to‑immune cell communication during ST

2: to identify the interaction between inflammation and ST‑induced changes in immune cells

This project –among others– comprises the following:

• Experiments related to the pro/anti‑inflammatory gene expression of circulating immune cells following ST
• Experiments related to the pro/anti‑inflammatory secretory profile of circulating immune cells following ST
• Experiments related to the myokine production by the muscle following ST

Specific techniques used in this project include PBMC and myocyte culture, scRNA‑seq, Multiplex technique or ELISA, SIMOA assays or cytometric bead array, RT‑qPCR, flow cytometry, histology.

More than bench‑work only, ‘participant‑researcher interactions’ (exercise supervision, physical assessments, etc.) are also very important in this project.

For this function, our Brussels Health Campus (Jette) will serve as your home base.

What do we expect from you?

• You hold (or will hold by May 2026) a Master degree in a domain relevant for this project (e.g. Bio‑Medical Sciences, Medicine, Gerontology, Physiotherapy, Movement Sciences,…)
• You are experienced with lab work: cell culture (PBMC and myocyte), RNA and protein analysis (scRNA‑seq, RT‑PCR, Western Blotting, histology, ELISA, SIMOA assays or cytometric bead array …) and preferentially have previous experience with the analysis of muscle biopsies.
• You have not performed any works in the execution of a mandate as an assistant, paid from operating resources, over a total (cumulated) period of more than 12 months.
• As a (non‑)EEA national
  , meet the conditions for obtaining a valid permit for VUB and comply with the VUB residence requirements. More info here .

The VUB wants to be a reflection of the society where everyone's talent is valued, regardless of gender, age, religion, skin colour, migration background, disability and neurodiversity.

Are you going to be our new colleague?

You’ll be offered a full‑time PhD‑scholarship
, for
12 months (extendable up to max. 48 months, on condition of the positive evaluation of the PhD activities), with…