Postdoctoral researcher nutrition and gut-brain mechanisms in elderly

Your job

Are you an enthusiastic postdoctoral researcher who wants to study the effect of lifestyle on gut and immune health in elderly - and their connection with brain health? Then we are looking for you!

The position is embedded within the MOCIA consortium (a large NWO cross-over project), and specifically within the team studying gut-immune-brain axis mechanisms in older adults at risk of cognitive decline.

What are you going to do?
In this project, you will study the effects of lifestyle on gut health, including the intestinal microbiota and metabolites, as well as cardio-metabolic and immune health. Your research findings will be linked to brain health in collaboration with neuroscientists.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• analyzing and interpreting the clinical trial data;
• contributing to the writing of peer-reviewed manuscripts based on the project results;
• presenting findings to key project stakeholders and the scientific community.

About the project
While beneficial effects of multi-domain lifestyle interventions on cognition in older adults have been shown, the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully understood. This understanding is crucial, as it can explain why and how interventions work, provide biomarkers to measure intervention efficacy, reveal why some participants do or do not respond to the intervention, and offer insights to further refine these interventions.

Cognitive ageing involves distinct – but potentially interrelated – mechanisms that play a role, such as: structural and functional alterations of the brain, peripheral and central inflammation, and metabolic and vascular alterations. The link between peripheral and central processes, as captured across the gut-brain axis, may be key in regulating the beneficial effects of multi-domain lifestyle interventions. To study these processes, a multi-domain lifestyle intervention was completed in 102 Dutch elderly (the HELI-study). Additionally, another trial (the COMBI study) focused on targeting the gut-brain axis through a colon-delivered multivitamin intervention in 70 older adults. Both trials have been completed, and the data has been collected.

Your team
The projects are carried out in close collaboration with colleagues from the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour at Radboud University, Nijmegen. You will also collaborate with other researchers and industrial representatives within the MOCIA consortium.

Your qualities

You are a highly motivated and committed researcher and colleague with knowledge of intervention trials and (gut) health.

You also possess:

• a PhD in nutrition, biology, nutritional (neuro)sciences, gut health, biomedical sciences, microbiology, bioinformatics, or another relevant field;
• experience in complex or high-throughput data analysis; experience with "omics" analyses (proteomics, metabolomics, or microbiome data) is a plus;
• a strong affinity for human nutrition and lifestyle;
• a demonstrated ability to write research for publication in peer-reviewed journals;
• strong communication skills and a collaborative, team-oriented mindset.

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C1. 

You will work here
The research is embedded within the division of Human Nutrition and Health at Wageningen University, and more specifically within the chair group Nutrition, Metabolomics and Genomics.

We offer you

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3.378,- and € 5.331,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). Additionally, a contract of less FTE can be discussed. We offer you a temporary contract for the duration of 13 months. Of course, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this. 

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

Coming from abroad 
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.  

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.  

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page�contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands. 

Do you want more information?

For more information about the position, please contact Guido Hooiveld, Assistant professor Nutrition, metabolism and genomics, by email: guido.hooiveld@wur.nl or Yannick Vermeiren, Assistant professor of Nutrition and Cognitive Brain Aging, by email: Yannick.vermeiren@wur.nl.

Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Rutger Voorrips, Corporate Recruiter, by e-mail: rutger.voorrips@wur.nl.

Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

You can apply until March 31st, 2025. The interviews will be scheduled shortly after the closing date.

Procedure 
As part of our selection process, an assessment may be incorporated within the procedure 

Welcome, safe, and valued 
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization. 

We are

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’. 
We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach. 

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR. 

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves and do not appreciate unasked for services from recruitment agencies. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.