PhD Position - Understanding cell fates of aneuploid pluripotent cells through single-cell RNA-seq

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.

2 - Position description

The Faculteit Geneeskunde en Farmacie, Department Basis (bio)-medische wetenschappen, Research Group Genetics Reproduction and Development is looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant. 

 

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

Are you a bioinformatician interested in how genetic differences influence cell development? Join us as a PhD candidate at the Genetics, Reproduction and Development (GRAD) Large Research Group  to:

 

• Use single-cell omics techniques to analyze human pluripotent stem cells, human embryos, and stem cell-derived embryo models.
• Study how changes at the chromosome level affect cell fate and development.
• Work in a collaborative environment with experts in genomics and stem cell biology.

 

We are looking for someone who is curious, motivated, and eager to apply computational skills to cutting-edge biological questions.

 

In this project, you will develop a tool to infer karyotypes from individual cells based on their transcriptome, and use this for data mining of existing scRNAseq datasets in the lab, as well as publicly published and newly generated data. You will study how abnormal genetic content modulates cell fate decisions in pluripotent stem cells, embryo models and human embryos, with a focus on understanding how cell stress impacts these processes. During your PhD, you will work very closely with a postdoctoral fellow that will be carrying out wet lab work which will feed and support your in silico research, and will be supervised by Prof. Spits – an expert in aneuploidy in early development – and bioinformatician Prof. Olsen.

 

You’ll have cutting-edge research infrastructure, close supervision by Prof. Spits and Prof. Olsen, plus access to a broad international network of collaborators, a dynamic, supportive, and family-friendly lab culture that values open science, reproducibility, and career development, and numerous training opportunities in transferable skills

 

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

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

 

• MSc (or equivalent) in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (degree completed by the start date).

 

Essential:

• Proven interest in large-scale genomic data analysis (course projects, internship, or thesis count!).
• Programming skills in R or Python.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team; good written and spoken English.

 

Desirable / nice-to-have:

• Hands-on experience with scRNA-seq analysis.
• Background in statistics, machine learning, or data visualisation.
• Familiarity with Linux and high-performance computing environments.

 

• 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.

 

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

4 - Offer

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 planned starting date 01/11/2025. 

 

You’ll receive a grant linked to one of the scales set by the government.

 

IMPORTANT: The effective result of the doctorate scholarship is subject to the condition precedent of your enrolment as a doctorate student at the university.

 

At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.

 

As well as this, you will also enjoy various other benefits:

• Extensive homeworking options, a telework allowance of 50 euros per month OR an internet fee of 20 euros per month;
• An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract), closure between Christmas and New Year and 3 extra leave days;
• Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
• Full reimbursement of your home-to-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, and/or compensation if you come by bike; 
• A wide selection of meals in our campus restaurants at attractive prices;
• Excellent and affordable facilities for sport and exercise, a range of discounts via Benefits@Work (in  all kinds of shops, on flights, in petrol stations, amusement parks...) and Ecocheques; 
• Nursery near campus, discount on holiday camps; 
• The space to form your job content and to continuously learn through our VUB learning platforms and training courses;
• And finally: great colleagues with a healthy drive.

5 - Interested?

Is this the job you’ve been dreaming of?

 

Then apply, at the latest on 30/09/2025, via jobs.vub.be, and upload the following documents:

• Your CV, including grades, publications (if any), and contact details of two references;
• your motivation letter (max. 2 pages) describing your research interests and suitability for the project;
• your diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni);
• (Optional) one representative piece of code or analysis you are proud of (GitHub link or attachment).

 

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Prof. Claudia Spits at claudia.spits@vub.be or on 02/4774638.

 

Would you like to know what it’s like to work at the VUB? Go to jobs.vub.be, and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.

 

Would you like more information about EUTOPIA? Go to eutopia-university.eu, and read more about the role of the VUB in the development of the EUTOPIA alliance.