The project you will be working on is funded by the Innovation Exchange Amsterdam (IXA) office at the University of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam Neuroscience research institute. The project is aimed at advancing the development of therapeutic strategies for the treatment of two genetic neurological disorders, with a focus on preparing them for preclinical testing. 

The first is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder called Muscular Spinal Atrophy (SMA), a severe genetic disorder, mostly affecting children at a very young age. The second is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder called X-linked Dystonia Parkinsonism (XDP). The disease leads to severe movement disorders. 

What these two genetic disorders have in common is that our prior research strongly suggests an important role for non-coding DNA elements in the respective disease-loci: In the past we have explored the functional influence of these non-coding DNA elements on the disease associated phenotypes. In the SMA locus, our research suggests that modulation of the non-coding DNA elements may counteract the premature death of neurons, which is one of the main problems in SMA. In XDP, we have recently discovered that modulation of the non-coding DNA elements that is causative for XDP has a strong influence on the molecular phenotype of XDP-patient cells. 

In this project, you will use the expertise of the Evolutionary Neurogenomics lab to bring these two discoveries to the next stage and explore their potential for developing therapeutic strategies. This work will provide a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of both SMA and XDP, and will help advance in house-developed and in vitro-tested therapeutic strategies toward the next stages of development.

You are passionate about science and eager to take on the challenge of transitioning groundbreaking research into real-world applications. You have an entrepreneurial mindset and are driven to explore innovative ways to bring discoveries to market. With a creative and solution-oriented approach, you thrive in a dynamic, international setting and are eager to contribute to the growth of a potential spin-off. Your adaptability, perseverance, and ability to work independently make you well-suited for a role where you can take initiative and drive progress. Additionally, your strong time management skills and willingness to learn new business and scientific skills will enable you to navigate the complexities of this exciting venture. 

Your experience and profile
•    a PhD in biomedical sciences / (functional) genomics;
•    strong affinity to translate academic research to therapeutic strategies with real-world clinical applications;
•    affinity to work with biotech partners,  funding agencies and other stakeholders to support translational research and move discoveries toward commercialization.
•    experience with all aspects of high throughput sequencing (such as RNA-seq/ ChIP-seq and post-sequencing biocomputational analysis; 
•    excellent communication skills including a good command of the English language. 
•    entrepreneurial mindset, with the drive to bring scientific innovations into the biotech space and explore the potential for spin-off creation.
•    experience with or willingness to learn about intellectual property, commercialization processes, and startup development.

We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week for a period of 12 months. The preferred starting date is 1 September 2025. If we assess your performance positive, your contract will be extended with  12 months.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between €3,378 to €5,331 (scale 10). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Researcher 4 is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Besides the salary and a vibrant and challenging environment at Science Park we offer you multiple fringe benefits, such as:
•    232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime);
•    multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
•    the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
•    help with housing for a studio or small apartment when you’re moving from abroad. 

Are you curious to read more about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits, take a look here.