PhD Candidate Position in Nutritional Epidemiology

PhD Candidate Position in Nutritional Epidemiology

100 %

ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research

C. Bourquin), this project aims to advance understanding of the human lung’s lymphatic vasculature in health and disease, with a focus on COPD, through the development of innovative organ-on-chip systems.

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher with a strong background in vascular and/or lymphatic biology, ideally with experience in organs-on-chip or microphysiological systems. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong drive for innovative, cross-disciplinary research and a proven commitment to collaborative, translational science.

Requirements

PhD in Vascular Biology, Cell Biology, Biomedical Sciences or similar with strong foundation in vascular/lymphatic biology, lung pathophysiology, respiratory diseases, and mechanobiology

Scientific Expertise:

• Solid foundation in vascular and lymphatic biology, lung pathophysiology, respiratory diseases & mechanobiology
• Proven experience in in vitro model systems, ideally organ-on-chip or microfluidic co-culture models

Technical Skills:

• Cell Culture: Primary endothelial, pericyte, and immune cell culture
• Microscopy: Immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, live-cell imaging & image analysis software (eg. Imaris)
• Molecular & Cellular Analysis: Flow cytometry, Western blot, qPCR, ELISA
• Functional assays: Cytokine/chemokine profiling, permeability, barrier function assessment
• Omics approaches: RNA-seq, proteomics

Supervision & leadership:

• Experience supervising MSc & PhD candidates; project coordination & management skills

Communications:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English

Personal skills:

• Creative, organized, self-motivated & able to work both independently & within a multidisciplinary tea

• Model development: Collaborate with research partners in Bern and Zurich to develop multi-compartments OOC systems integrating blood and lymphatic vasculature to investigate COPD pathophysiology
• Characterization: Apply expertise in vascular & lymphatic vascular biology to characterize these networks in function of various environmental cues (interstitial pressure,...).
• Method development: Design and implement specific functional read-outs and quantitative assays to assess vascularlymphatic interactions
• Collaboration & dissemination: work closely with research partners, contribute to publications and present results at international conferences

• A stimulating interdisciplinary research environment linking bioengineering, cell biology and translational medicine
• Access to state-of-the-art microfluidic, organs-on-chip and imaging facilities
• Opportunities to collaborate with leading experts in vascular and lymphatic biology and COPD
• Competitive salary: Based on the regulations of the University of Bern and of the SNSF
• A vibrant research setting in Bern, Switzerland’s capital, surrounded by the Aare river and the Bernese Alps

How to apply

Submit: Motivation Letter, CV + list of publications, name and contact of two references, in a single pdf document to job.ooc.artorg@ unibe.ch (headline: postdoc position, project LYVA)

Start: ideally January 2026 (negotiable) The review of applications will start on December 1st, 2025. The position will remain open until it is filled.

Apply online

In your application, please refer to myScience.ch and referenceJobID68740.