PhD: Prion-like Properties of Amyloid-beta in Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy Patients
Explore the prion-like behavior of amyloid-beta in blood from CAA patients to uncover mechanisms of cerebral amyloid angiopathy transmission.
Best for:Best for motivated neuroscientists or biochemists with a master’s in biomedical sciences, molecular biology, or physical chemistry, eager to bridge experimental techniques across disciplines and contribute to translational medicine.
Overview
This PhD position at the intersection of clinical neuroscience, physical chemistry, and molecular cell biology investigates whether amyloid-beta (Aβ40) in the blood of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) patients exhibits prion-like properties, potentially enabling transmission from blood to brain. The project, embedded in a Vici-funded collaboration between the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) and Wageningen University & Research (WUR), combines advanced structural biology, nanospectroscopy, and cellular seeding assays. The candidate will alternate between Wageningen and Groningen, working under dual supervision to map Aβ40’s molecular fingerprint, test its seeding capacity in live cells, and correlate structural traits with biological effects. The research aims to revolutionize understanding of CAA pathogenesis and its links to Alzheimer’s disease.
What you'll do
- Map the nanoscale structure of amyloid-beta (Aβ40) in plasma from CAA patients (sporadic, hereditary Dutch-type, and iatrogenic) using AFM-IR and ThT assays, comparing with Alzheimer’s and healthy controls.
- Develop and apply cell-based biosensors to test whether blood-derived Aβ40 can induce new amyloid aggregation in live cells, using fluorescence microscopy and FRET techniques.
- Characterize structural differences in Aβ40 morphology across CAA subtypes and correlate these with seeding capacity and biological effects.
- Analyze cellular stress, proteostasis, and inflammatory responses triggered by Aβ40 seeding, exploring sex-specific differences.
- Collaborate across institutions to integrate structural data (WUR) with functional cell biology experiments (UMCG) and publish findings in high-impact journals.
- Present research progress at conferences and contribute to the overarching Vici-project goals on CAA pathogenesis.
Requirements
Degree required: Master’s degree in biomedical sciences, molecular life sciences, biochemistry, biophysics, or a related field
Degree offered: PhD
Language: English; proficiency sufficient for scientific writing, presentations, and daily collaboration
Instruction: English
- Proven experience with experimental laboratory research, particularly in protein biochemistry or cell biology
- Familiarity with advanced techniques such as Thioflavin T assays, AFM-IR nanospectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, or FRET
- Strong analytical and data-processing skills for structural and functional biological data
- Excellent written and spoken English for scientific communication and collaboration
- Ability to work independently and proactively in a multidisciplinary team across two institutions
- No formal eligibility restrictions beyond the required degree
- Open to applicants from any nationality
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-10-12
Applicants must submit a detailed CV, a motivation letter outlining their research interest and relevance to the project, and a list of academic references. The application should be sent via email to the contact person below. Additional documents may be requested during the selection process.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Motivation letter
- List of academic references
- Master’s degree certificate and transcript
Contact
[Redacted for privacy]· HR/Recruitment Officer
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