PhD position: modeling menopause-related heart rhythm disorders

Job description

Menopause induces profound electrical and structural changes in the heart, yet the mechanisms driving this transition, and the reasons it dramatically increases the risk of heart rhythm disorders in women, remain largely unexplored. In this PhD project, you will play a central role in uncovering these mechanisms by developing advanced, multi‑scale computational models of atrial electrophysiology.

You will work with one of the most comprehensive and unique datasets available worldwide: high‑resolution intra‑operative electrical mapping data recorded directly from the human atria during cardiac surgery, combined with ECG, PPG, hormone profiles, and continuous vital signs. All data is collected within Erasmus MC, giving you direct access to clinicians, engineers, and the surgical team collecting the data. This means you will not rely on synthetic or incomplete datasets but you will build models grounded in rich, real-world physiology.

Your task is to transform these multimodal datasets into patient‑specific “digital twins” that simulate how atrial electrophysiology evolves across the menopausal transition. You will design and calibrate mechanistic models at the cellular, tissue, and organ scale; develop numerical methods and optimization pipelines; and run large-scale simulations to reconstruct remodeling trajectories and identify the critical “breaking points” that lead to arrhythmias such as sinus node dysfunction and atrial fibrillation. The mechanistic insights and model outputs you generate will directly feed into the women‑specific arrhythmia detection algorithms developed by our industrial partner. Your work will therefore have a clear translational pathway toward real‑world digital health solutions.

Beyond modeling, you will contribute to algorithm development for arrhythmia prediction and collaborate closely with clinical researchers during patient recruitment and data collection. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys combining computational modeling, physiology, and real clinical data. Your work will directly advance women‑specific arrhythmia detection and care, making a scientific impact that is both academically significant and clinically meaningful.

“What I enjoy most is seeing how mathematical models can reveal mechanisms that cannot be directly observed from data.” - team member

The position will be available by Q4 2026. The project is funded by Health-Holland.

Work environment

You will conduct your research within the Translational Electrophysiology Unit of the Department of Cardiology at Erasmus MC. The group is internationally recognized for its work on cardiac electrophysiology and collaborates closely with the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and multiple research groups at TU Delft.

You will join a multidisciplinary, inclusive, and collegial team of clinicians, engineers, and scientists who work together to understand and treat cardiac arrhythmias. 

The environment is dynamic, supportive, and rich in opportunities for scientific growth.

Qualifications and skills

We are looking for a motivated researcher with:

• A MSc or MEng degree in Mathematics, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Computational Science, or a related field.
• Strong interest in computational modeling, simulations, or mathematical physiology. Experience with dynamical systems, numerical simulation, or finite‑element–based modeling approaches is a strong plus.
• Programming experience (preferably Python, but other languages are also a plus).
• Affinity with clinical or patient‑related research.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong analytical mindset and enthusiasm for scientific discovery.

Before you apply please check our conditions for employment.

Terms of employment

• A full‑time, 4‑year PhD position.
• A gross monthly salary between € 3.217,- and € 4.077,- (scale OIO) based on a full-time workweek of 36 hours.
• A salary increase of 3.5% from May 2027, according to the collective labor agreement (CLA).
• Excellent fringe benefits, such as a 13th month that is already paid out in November and an individual travel expense package.
• 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.
• A supportive team and excellent supervision.
• Opportunities to attend international conferences and courses.
• A dynamic research environment at the largest academic medical center in the Netherlands.

More information

Make this job your next career move! Apply now using the application button. 

For more information about the role, please contact Dr. Vehpi Yildirim, Department of Cardiology (mail or +31 (0)6 812 496 74), or Prof. Dr. Natasja de Groot, Department of Cardiology, Erasmus MC via mail.

No agencies please.