PhD Evolution of clonal hematopoiesis
Job description
We are looking for a talented and enthusiastic PhD student to work on various projects within our research track focused on clonal hematopoiesis and evolution, which is a collaborative project between the Department of Hematology at the University Medical center Groningen (dr. Van Zeventer; prof. dr. J.J. Schuringa; prof. dr. G.A. Huls) and the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen (prof. dr. J.H. Jansen).
Synopsis of the current project
The aim of our collaborative research track is to obtain detailed knowledge on the clonal evolutionary trajectories from pre-malignant clonal hematopoiesis towards malignant hematological diseases, by combining epidemiological research in the prospective Lifelines cohort with wet lab approaches. Clonal hematopoiesis is characterized by the expansion of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells that carry mutations in leukemia-associated genes and is detected in otherwise healthy ageing individuals. Apart from a pre-malignant potential, clonal hematopoiesis has emerged as an important risk factor for other age-related conditions (such as cardiovascular disease and solid cancer). Currently, there is a lack of knowledge for development of guidelines on monitoring and treatment of clonal hematopoiesis – whether detected in healthy individuals (also referred to as “CHIP”) or in the context of blood count abnormalities (“CCUS”). The ultimate goal of our research is to identify mechanisms and stressors that drive expansion and transformation to leukemic conditions in the presence of somatic mutations. The current project will entail large-scale longitudinal data analysis and multi-omics data integration (including single cell techniques) to study the evolution and consequences of clonal hematopoiesis in real-life context. You will contribute to processing and management of next-generation sequencing data, perform statistical analysis, interpret results and communicate the findings through presentations on meetings/conferences and publications. You will become a member of a multidisciplinary research group with other PhD and MD/PhD students from various backgrounds. You will get the opportunity to develop yourself into an independent researcher with plenty of opportunity for personal input. Your project will mainly involve complex (big)data analysis and limited wet lab exposure.
What do we need
- Required education: master’s degree in medicine/epidemiology/bioinformatics/ biomedical sciences
- Interest in handling complex large datasets, (bio)statistics and genetic epidemiology, preferably some experience in programming languages (R, bash or python) or epidemiological data analysis, but motivated candidates without are also encouraged to apply
- Excellent communication in word and writing, good proficiency in English
- You are ambitious and able to work independently as well as in a team-setting
For further information please contact prof. dr. G.A. Huls (g.huls@umcg.nl) or dr. I.A. van Zeventer (i.a.van.zeventer@umcg.nl). For an example of our work please see: Van Zeventer et al. Evolutionary landscape of clonal hematopoiesis in 3,359 individuals from the general population. Cancer Cell. 2023:7:1269-1278.
What do we offer
A full-time appointment for four years (36 hours a week). Your salary will be € 3.108 gross per month in the first year, and up to a maximum of € 3.939 gross per month in the last fourth year (scale PRO as of 1st of July 2025), depending on your qualifications and relevant experience, based on a full-time appointment. In addition, the UMCG will offer you 8% holiday pay, and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centres (CAO-UMC). The position offered is for four years. First, a temporary one-year position will be offered with the option of renewal for another three years. Extension of the contract will be based on sufficient progress and the expectation of a successful completion of the PhD project in the next three years.
