PhD Student - Department of Head and Skin

Last application date Jun 30, 2025 00:00

Department GE34 - Department of Head and Skin

Contract Limited duration

Degree The applicant should hold an M. Sc. (or equivalent) degree in biomedical sciences or in a related field.

Occupancy rate 100%

Vacancy type Research staff

Job description

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15.000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities.

With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

For the (faculty/department/research group) we are looking for a m/f/x

Doctoral fellow

YOUR JOB

As part of the highly prestigious ERC Starting Grant URENIMOD (Ultrasound for Remote Neuroimaging and Modulation), a Ph.D. position is available at Ghent University from September 2025. The project aims to develop a minimally to non-invasive treatment for focal epilepsy with ultrasound neurorecording, modulation, and deep reinforcement learning closed-loop control. The technology, developed through detailed computer simulations, will be validated with preclinical experiments. The candidate will be part of a multidisciplinary team working towards this objective at the 4Brain (www.4brain.be) and WAVES (www.waves.intec.ugent.be) research groups. The goal of the research is to work towards a doctoral degree.

Job profile

We are looking for enthusiastic candidates to perform research on a closed-loop and non-invasive ultrasound neuromodulation treatment of focal epilepsy. The candidate will perform fiber photometry imaging and focused ultrasound insonication experiments in epileptic mice, to explore the potential for cell-type selective neuromodulation. The non-invasive neurorecording technique, realized through acousto-electric heterodyning, will be validated with depth and EEG electrode measurements. Finally, the closed-loop ultrasound technology will be tested in the intrahippocampal kainic acid mouse model in this Ph.D. project.   

• You hold a Master’s degree (preferably) in biomedical sciences or in a related field.
• The candidate has experience with rodent models, knowledge of neuroscience and is fluent in English (speech and writing).

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months.
• Your contract will start on 09/01/2025 at the earliest.
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by Team Personnel Administration based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.

How to apply

If you are interested in this job offer, you can address your application letter, curriculum vitae, and degree certificates to [email protected]. For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Thomas Tarnaud ([email protected]).