Your function

The HFSP-funded project revolves around the concept of Socially Transferred Materials (STMs), which was defined a few years ago as an emerging new field in science: Across animals, organisms have repeatedly and convergently evolved ways to transfer materials between bodies that manipulate or support receiver physiology, fertility, or behaviour. Think of milk, seminal fluid, eggs, mucus, and regurgitates. Despite their ecological importance and applied potential, understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying STM function across evolutionary distant lineages is lacking. This project aims to combine a multitude of -omics and imaging techniques as well as functional studies to work towards deep, large-scale analyses of STM evolution and action. The focus will lie on a range of arthropods, molluscs, and chordates, with the aim to uncover universal STM design principles as well as lineage-specific variants.

Your duties
Using your experience and enthusiasm for mass spec, in-situ hybridisation and bioinformatics, you will start by refining the mass spec imaging technique for work on material from non-model organisms. This technique will subsequently be used to visualise candidate STMs, and their receptors, in specific tissues of a selected set of focal species. The most promising candidate proteins will be applied in bio-assays using freshwater snails to test their bioactivity. These candidates will emerge from collaboration among the three post-docs on the project and will require well-organised teamwork across countries and continents.

Hence, you will become part of a new, multidisciplinary team together with two other post-docs (one ant-leaning and hosted by Adria LeBoeuf in Cambridge, UK and one frog-leaning and hosted by Jenny Stynoski in San José, Costa Rica).

The results are expected to lead to shared multi-author publications in high-quality scientific journals, where efforts from the three post-docs come together in large-scale analyses of STMs. In addition, the methods development, bio-assay testing and single species findings are expected to be published by smaller author teams.

Your profile

Candidates will be evaluated based on their level of experience with MS imaging, in-situ hybridization, and bioinformatics as well as evidence of experience working effectively and adaptively in mixed teams, interest in discovering evolutionarily conserved protein functions, and skill for synthesising complex findings for publication.

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples: