Postdoctoral fellow

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.

YOUR TASKS

The research group of Prof Tom Taghon at Ghent University in Belgium (www.taghonlab.ugent.be) is looking for a motivated postdoctoral researcher with an interest in T cell development and single cell & spatial omics to join the team. We are a dynamic and international lab with a focus on the functional characterization of the molecular mechanisms that control human T cell development (Liang et al. Nat Immunol 2023, Lavaert et al. Immunity 2020; Roels et al. Nat Immunol 2020). As part of the Human Cell Atlas Thymus Seed Network, we have also been involved in high-resolution profiling of the developing human thymus using single cell multiomics and spatial transcriptomics (Yayon et al. Nature 2024, Park et al. Science 2020).

The Project:
The thymus is a specialised organ that provides the necessary microenvironment to drive the development, maturation and selection of T lymphocytes from bone marrow-derived hematopoetic progenitor cells. Initially, these precursor cells have multi-lineage potential and can differentiate into various lymphoid and myeloid immune cell types in vitro, but it remains unclear, which non-T lineages they can in fact give rise to within the physiological setting of the human thymus. The aim of the project is to investigate the potential development of alternative immune cell lineages within the fetal and postnatal thymus and to chart the role of the thymic microenvironment in this process. This will be achieved through the use of state-of-the-art technologies, such as multimodal single cell approaches (CITE-seq, scATAC-seq), spatial transcriptomics and high-throughput imaging, thus a keen interest in learning single cell/spatial data analysis is critical.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• You hold a doctoral degree in Biology, (Bio)medical Sciences, Biotechnology, Bioinformatics or equivalent, or a diploma or certificate in any of these fields that is recognized as equivalent by law or in application of the guidelines of the European Union or a bilateral agreement.
• In exceptional circumstances and based on detailed scientific justification, researchers who do not hold such a degree may also be considered, provided they have demonstrated exceptional scientific merit.
• Exceptional scientific merit is defined as having excelled in scientific research and publications at a level at least equivalent to a doctoral degree.
• The grant can only be awarded within the framework of international scientific mobility. This is the case if:
  
  • the researcher has resided abroad for at least 24 months out of the 3 years prior to the start date of the postdoctoral fellowship and has not worked or studied in Belgium during that period. However, short-term stays in Belgium are allowed during 24 months, such as holidays, participation in conferences or a short stay to prepare for the period as a postdoctoral researcher
  • the researcher is funded by the Marie- Sklodovska-Curie Action (MSCA) and thus meets the associated mobility conditions.
  • Only for postdoctoral researchers in international mobility
• You have a proven scientific track record evidenced by relevant publications.
• You have experience in the computational analysis of single cell and/or transcriptomics data using R/Python.
• Wet lab experience is beneficial but not essential.
• You have a strong enthusiasm for fundamental research and a scientific interest in the molecular genetics of immune cell development.
• You are a team player with the ability to work independently.
• You have excellent communication and writing skills in scientific English.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer a full time position as a postdoctoral fellow, with an initial contract of 1 year which can be extended twice taking into account a maximum period of 36 months.
• In deviation the above, an EEA national, who has previously received a postdoctoral grant in the 12 months prior to an MSCA grant, can exceed the maximum term of 36 months under this MSCA grant provided that the entire term does not exceed 48 months.
• Your contract will start on 01/01/2026 at the earliest.
• The grant amount is equal to the net salary of a doctoral assistant (AAP 5) with the same level of education and seniority and based on the same family situation as the doctoral assistant. The supervisor may deviate from this and assign a higher level based on acquired experience, professional career and demonstrated competences. The grant amount will not be revised in the current year except in case of indexation. 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.
• The Taghon lab provides extensive expertise in thymus biology and single cell genomics and consists of an experienced team including lab technicians and a bioinformatician that will support your work.
• You will be given the possibility to follow training activities at UGent and abroad, and to attend (inter-)national research conferences.
• We will provide support for independent fellowship applications and other career building activities.
• You will be given the opportunity to initiate and lead independent projects within the group.
• We will provide opportunities to connect with other leading labs in the field through ongoing collaborations.

INTERESTED?

For further information or to apply (include motivation letter, curriculum vitae, copy of degree and contact information of three potential referees), please contact Prof. Dr. Tom Taghon (Tom.Taghon@UGent.be).