Research Technician to support the new Holstege Lab

The VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research is part of the VIB Life Sciences Institute and is embedded within the University of Leuven, which ranks among the world’s top 50 universities. At our Center, researchers study the cellular mechanisms of health and disease in the central nervous system.

Prof Henne Holstege has started a new lab (Nov 2024) within the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research. In collaboration with Holstege’s laboratory at the Amsterdam University Medical Center, prof Holstege runs the 100-Plus Study of cognitively healthy centenarians. The research group has assembled a large cohort of brain tissues (~1500) derived from cognitively healthy and diseased individuals spanning an age continuum to contrast with cognitively healthy centenarians. This unique cohort will be mined to identify genetic and genomic factors associated with increasing age, and vulnerability for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and others. For a deep dive into the effects of aging on the genome and on downstream mechanistic function, Holstege and her team use advanced omics technologies, including single cell transcriptomics, long read sequencing, proteomics, and others.

We are looking for two research technicians with excellent organizational and management skills, who will help us establish the lab and will support the team in daily research.

The successful candidate:

• has knowledge in general wet lab practice (e.g. tissue processing, DNA/RNA processing, molecular biology) and willingness to learn new techniques and protocols;
• will be responsible for aspects of lab organization such as welcoming and training new lab members, orderings and overseeing biosafety requirements;
• is pro-active and has the potential to independently oversee experimental execution and planning.

As a young lab, we are committed to ensure that every person in the lab receives the training and mentoring she/he needs, is successful, and feels valued. In addition, you will get the opportunity to experience and influence a fresh lab atmosphere.

The successful candidate:

• possesses a (professional) bachelor’s degree in biotechnology or master’s degree in biomedical or biological sciences, or an appropriate related field;
• is skilled in general lab practice and following standard protocols;
• is excited to work with human tissues;
• has basic knowledge in at least one of these fields: molecular and cellular biology / neuroscience;
• must be meticulous, detail-oriented and self-motivated, and able to interact well with other members of a diverse research team;
• has very good organizational, time management and communication skills;
• has very good verbal and written English communication skills.

• Open-ended contract with starting date 1 June 2025;
• Access to top state-of-the-art infrastructure
• Learn innovative techniques and tools related to brain aging, from proteomics to single-cell sequencing
• Good technical and career training
• Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications, and extra benefits
• A stimulating international research environment

Interested candidates should submit their candidacy through the VIB online application tool.

A complete application file (English) should contain the following documents:

• your cover/motivation letter stating career goals, experience, and how these relate to the current position
• your CV
• contact information of 2 references

For further information and questions, please send an email to Prof. Henne Holstege (henne.holstege@vib.be).