PhD Position: Mechano-engineering of Engineering of Organotypic Blood Vessels

We seek a PhD candidate to study organ-specific blood vessels using 3D organ-on-chip models, combining vascular biology, tissue engineering, and multi-omics to engineer endothelial and mural cells for regenerative medicine.

Dit ga je doen

Blood vessels play a vital role in physiology by enabling blood transport throughout the body. Different vessel types exhibit distinct organ- and tissue-specific characteristics, including size, mechanical properties, and permeability. Endothelial cells (ECs), lining all vessel lumens, are recognized as heterogeneous and organ-specific in phenotype and behavior. However, the molecular and mechanical drivers of this organotypic specification remain poorly understood. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for engineering functional, organ-specific vasculature in regenerative medicine and organoid systems.

This project aims to elucidate the cellular cues that govern endothelial and mural cell organ-specific phenotypes, and to leverage this knowledge to engineer organotypic vascular cells that enhance vascularization in tissue-engineered organs. Cardiac, kidney, and brain micro- and macrovacular ECs, along with their mural cells (vascular smooth muscle cells and pericytes), will be studied alongside iPSC-derived vascular cells. The project integrates advanced 3D organ-on-chip models with multi-omics and computational approaches to characterize and modulate vascular cell phenotypes in an organ-specific context.

Subproject 1: Characterizing Organotypic EC Behavior and Vascular–Tissue–Immune Interactions in Advanced 3D Human Organ Models

ECs and mural cells will be assessed in three organotypic platforms:

• Heart-on-chip: A vascularized and perfused cardiac model focusing on EC integration, immune cell interactions, cardiac contractility, and calcium handling.
• Glomerular filtration-on-chip: A kidney-specific model examining EC glycocalyx, fenestration formation, barrier function, and immune interactions. In addition, you are also involved in research for the development of a renal tubule-on-chip model.
• Brain macrovessel-on-chip (aneurysm model): A cerebral vessel model to study EC dysfunction, adverse remodeling, immune activation, and regenerative strategies to restore vascular stability in (e.g. ) aneurysm-prone conditions.

Subproject 2: Omics Analysis of Organotypic Vascular Cells

Multi-omics profiling will identify molecular pathways defining cardiac microvascular ECs, glomerular/peritubulair ECs, brain micro- and macrovacular ECs, and their mural cells. Profiles will be compared to HUVECs to reveal organ-specific signatures. Data will be shared with collaborators at TU Eindhoven for analysis of dynamic regulation in key pathways, including Notch, YAP/TAZ, and VEGF signaling.

Subproject 3: Modulating Organotypic Vascular Phenotypes

Key modulators identified in Subproject 2 will be manipulated to evaluate their effects on endothelial and mural cell phenotypes in the validated organ-on-chip models. The goal is to enhance vascular–organ interactions and improve organ function in engineered tissues.

Hier ga je werken

The Nephrology & Hypertension department is part of the Internal Medicine and Dermatology Division with approximately one thousand employees. The division focuses on care, research, education and training.

The specialty of nephrology is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of (chronic) kidney diseases. The department consists of an outpatient clinic, a day treatment department, a dialysis department, a nursing department and a research laboratory.

Our team consists of staff doctors, dialysis nurses, AIOS, nurse specialists, a physician assistant, transplant nurses, social workers, dieticians, medical secretaries, management assistants and researchers.

Dit neem je mee

We seek a motivated, creative, and independent researcher with a strong background in biomedical engineering, cell biology, bioinformatics, or related fields. The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture, vascular biology, and tissue-engineered or organ-on-chip models, as well as familiarity with mechanobiology concepts. Strong analytical skills and proficiency in R programming for multi-omics data analysis are essential. Interest or prior experience in interdisciplinary collaboration, computational modeling, and integrating wet-lab experiments with omics analyses is highly desirable.

Supervision and Collaborations: This project is supervised by Dr. Caroline Cheng and Prof. Marianne Verhaar at UMC Utrecht, within the DRIVE-RM Summit program. Collaborations include Dr. Nicholas Kurniawan and Dr. Tommaso Ristori (TU Eindhoven) for computational modeling and mechano-sensing in vitro studies using dynamic (shear, strain) assays.

Dit bieden we jou

• A salary between € 3.108 and € 3.939 gross per month (salary scale OIO), based on full-time employment (36 hours). 
• Year-end bonus of 8.3% and holiday allowance of 8%.
• Pension insurance with ABP. We take care of approximately 70% of the monthly contribution.
• 100% public transport reimbursement. Are you coming on foot, by bike or by car? You will then receive a reimbursement of € 0.18 per km (by car up to a max. of 40 km one way). 
• Possibilities to develop yourself personally and professionally. 
• The option to select additional employment benefits in exchange for gross salary, such as purchasing a bicycle and memberships.