PhD candidate "Thera4Care"

Job description

We are looking for a successful PhD candidate to further develop targeted radionuclide therapy into an effective and widely available treatment for cancer patients. In radionuclide therapy, a tumor-targeting vector is coupled to a therapeutic radionuclide to specifically irradiate tumor lesions from inside the body. This approach allows for the delivery of a high radiation absorbed dose to (metastasized) tumor lesions, while sparing healthy tissues. However, at the moment, we do not know which type of radionuclide is most effectively in killing the cancer cells and its underlying mechanism. Within the EU funded consortium project “Thera4Care” we aim to standardize methods for dosimetry and gather multi-center datasets on post-therapeutic dosimetry of Lu-177-PSMA and Lu-177-DOTATATE. 

You will contribute to this consortium project by performing phantom testing for standardization of novel SPECT/CT cameras, recruitment of patients for inclusion in the prospective observational studies which are part of this project, and performing dosimetric calculations on sets of post-therapeutic data and you will correlate this to the clinical results. You will present and publish the results of your scans and analysis at conferences and in scientific journals in order to obtain your PhD at the end of this 4-year position.   

Work environment

The department of Medical Imaging has a long-standing research line on the development and application of radiolabeled tracers for nuclear imaging and therapy, and can claim to be the birthplace of Lu-177-labelled radioligand theranostics. Within the department, there is a strong focus on translational research by collaborations between basic scientists and clinical researchers. Research includes molecular studies on the working mechanism of nuclear therapies, preclinical development of new imaging and therapeutic agents for cancer patients and clinical trials with a focus on dosimetry of the novel tracers. The department has excellent research facilities, including level B radionuclide laboratories, GMP radiolabeling facilities, a cyclotron, two PET/CT scanners of which one will be replaced by a novel long-axis field-of-view PET/CT scanner in autumn, a PET/MRI and two SPECT/CT machines, one of which is a novel, state-of-the-art 12-head, full-ring CZT-based SPECT/camera. The research group consists of approximately 30 researchers, including senior scientists, PhD students, medical doctors, and research technicians.

Qualifications and skills

• Masters degree in (bio)physics, technical medicine, clinical technology or similar.
• Demonstrable experience with Geant4 or other Monte Carlo codes, image reconstruction and segmentation, proficiency in writing Python scripts.
• Permit to work with radioactivity in the Netherlands (or willing to obtain this permit).
• Well-developed communicational and social skills directed towards working in a team. 
• Strongly proficient in the English language (IELTS score of 7.0 or higher is required if Masters' degree was obtained outside of the Netherlands).
• Conversationally fluent in Dutch, or willing to train in the Dutch language quickly. 
• Enthusiastic and strong motivation to successfully complete a PhD.

Before you apply please check our conditions for employment.

Terms of employment

• You will receive a temporary position for 4 years. 
• The gross monthly salary amounts a minimum of € 3.108,- and a maximum of € 3.939,- (scale OIO).
• Excellent fringe benefits, such as a 13th month that is already paid out in November and a individual travel expense package. 
• An International Office which aids you in preparing for you arrival and stay. 
• Pension insurance with ABP. We take care of approximately 2/3 of the monthly contribution. 
• Special benefits, such as an incompany physiotherapist and bicycle repairer. And there is also a gym where you can work on your fitness after work. 

More information

For more information on about this position, please contact prof. dr. F.A. Verburg - Professor of Translational Nuclear Medicine, via f.verburg@erasmusmc.nl or dr. M. Konijnenberg - Physicist via m.konijnenberg@erasmusmc.nl.

No agencies please.