Professor in Molecular Immune Mechanisms in Urinary Tract Infections

→   Apply until 27/10/2026 (DD/MM/YYYY) 23:59 (Brussels time)     →   Discipline: Molecular immune mechanisms in urinary tract Infections     →   10% Assistant professor / Associate professor     →   Faculty of Sciences     →   Reference number: 202610/WE/ZAP/002

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world-class, open, pluralistic and socially engaged university. Our credo is  'Dare to Think' : we are a haven for courageous thinkers.

With one of the most progressive career models for academics in the world, Ghent University evaluates its scholars not only by the length of their publication list but also by the impact they pursue, what they achieve and how they collaborate.

Are you a good ‘fit’ with our university? Discover here our vision on  education  and  research .

ASSIGNMENT

The VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research ( https://www.irc.ugent.be/ ) is looking for a Principal Investigator to join its faculty (Group Leader at VIB and part time [10%] Professor at Ghent University). The new member of the ZAP-staff will be embedded in the Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology (WE14). This vacancy concerns a position as ZAP with a research assignment in the research domain ‘ Molecular immune mechanisms in urinary tract Infections '.

Taking up this position, which is financed by VIB in the context of the framework agreement between VIB and Ghent University, gives rise to an appointment in a temporary, renewable employment contract  until  31/01/2033  to stimulate research in the field of “ Molecular immune mechanisms in urinary tract Infections ” and implies the privilege to devote efforts largely to research activities during this period.

Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Candidates must demonstrate scientific excellence based on criteria of scientific quality, which is evident, among other things, from publications in journals and books with international visibility and from the proposed scientific research in the research plan.

The candidate will conduct research in the field of bacterial and viral urinary tract immunity. This research will take place within the Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology and should integrate research domains such as microbiology and molecular immunology and further develop confocal and intravital microscopy, spectral flow cytometry and single-cell multi-omics technologies.

As a VIB Group Leader and (part-time, 10%) Ghent University Professor, you will be expected to build your research program with your own independent research group, and to set up or consolidate a strong network with other researchers within VIB, UGent and beyond.

You strive for excellence in your research and thereby contribute to the scientific development of the Center for Inflammation Research (IRC) and the Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology (WE14).

Academic education

You lecture, when applicable, course units in the discipline of immunology, Molecular Pathophysiology and Experimental Therapy, or other courses linked to your expertise. The teaching assignment will be mainly situated within the Master program in Biomedical Molecular Biology. You are also responsible for supervising bachelor's and master's theses.

Academic research

You will develop a multi-scale approach, spanning tissue architecture of the upper and lower urinary tract, cell migration, cell–cell communication, host cell-pathogen interaction, intracellular signaling, and other biological processes, in which multiple aspects of host defense can be studied and integrated in parallel. These include extracellular matrix remodeling, leukocyte extravasation and migration through the interstitium, phagocytosis, NETosis, proliferation, differentiation, and cell death. You will combine a variety of in vivo experimental approaches to investigate cellular interactions and understand how tissue niches shape host defense.

You will set up a combination of two-photon microscopy, enabling the visualization of the spatiotemporal dynamics of host defense in vivo, with high-throughput approaches such as spatial and single-cell transcriptomics, to provide unique insights into the real-time immune mechanisms employed by the host within specialized tissue niches of the urinary tract. New developments can then be diffused into the department to apply on other tissues.

Ultimately, the integrative approach should contribute to a deeper understanding of host–pathogen interactions and support the potential development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against infectious diseases of this barrier tissue.

Institutional and societal engagement

You contribute to the internal and external services of the Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology and the Faculty of Sciences.

PROFILE

Experience

• You have a Ph.D. in Immunology, Urology, Systems Biology, or Biotechnology or a related field.

• You have already conducted high-quality scientific research in urinary tract immunology, as evidenced by publications in high-quality scientific journals and peer-reviewed books;

• You have experience in in vivo infection models

• You have experience in visualizing cell migration and interaction in vivo .

• You have strong skills in image analysis

• You have experience in other advanced microscopy techniques,

• You have experience in spectral flow cytometry,

• You have experience in the development of wet lab protocols for performing single-cell transcriptomics on tissue samples.

• You are able to initiate and supervise scientific research and collect the necessary funds for this;

• You have didactic skills aimed at developing and realizing academic competencies in university students;

- Recommended

• International mobility, among other things thanks to research stays at institutions external to the one where you acquired your highest academic degree;

• Experience with in vivo urinary tract infection models;

• Experience with intravital visualization of the immune system;

• Experience in supervising master's and doctoral students

Skills / Attitude

• You are quality-oriented;

• You take initiative;

• You have good didactic skills;

• You are a team player;

• You have good organizational, interpersonal and communication skills;

• You develop leadership within your field;

• When developing your research, you are also prepared to focus on complementarity with existing research in the Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology department, the Faculty of Sciences and the UGent-VIB Inflammation Research Center and thus build bridges and set up collaborations with other research units within Ghent University and VIB.

• You show leadership potential/have leadership experience. More information about leadership at Ghent University.

If you do not know Dutch, you are willing to learn it within a period of 5 years and reach CEFR level B2. When taking up a teaching assignment, you must have a command of the language of instruction of the course unit at CEFR level C1. More information about the  language requirements  and appropriate language guidance at Ghent University.

APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

The selected candidate will be appointment in the degree of assistant professor with mainly a research assignment. This is decided by the University Board on the recommendation of the Faculty Council.

Assistant professor, 10%

We offer you an appointment with renewable duration for a maximum of 6 years.

Pay attention : A part-time assignment of a certain degree of the professorial staff cannot be combined with a part-time assignment of a different degree of the professorial staff within the same institution.

A part-time assignment comes with an equivalent part-time salary.

The recruitment is  from 1 februari 2027 .

OUR OFFER

Ghent University has developed a  new inspiring career model  for professors. Academic freedom and academics' responsibility, talents and ambitions act as a natural drive to advance their careers, as part of teamwork.

Ghent University is specifically committed to  guiding international professors  in the process of coming to Ghent. At Ghent University, our view is as broad as possible, because internationalisation creates synergies within and outside the institution.

We offer you  a wide range of employee benefits . The basic teacher training and courses in 'Dutch' and 'English' for foreign-speaking lecturers are just a few of our wide range of courses and training.

Candidates who are newly appointed at Ghent University with an appointment of at least 50% receive a  Starting Grant  of € 240,000 to contribute towards the personnel, operating and/or equipment costs. Furthermore, professors who meet the conditions may be eligible for  Basic Research Funding .

DIVERSITY

Ghent University pursues an equal opportunities policy and values everyone's talent, regardless of gender, age, philosophy of life, skin color, sexual orientation, migration background or disability. We encourage everyone to apply.

Interruptions in research careers and/or atypical career paths (e.g. relevant experience outside the academic sector) will be taken into account when assessing the application.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

The selection committee will carry out an initial, substantive screening of the admissible applications on the file. This assessment takes into consideration both the candidate's merits and potential.

Ghent University emphasizes the qualitative assessment of academic performance. Therefore, candidates are asked in the application form to mention their most important academic or non-academic achievements with the most impact.

For shortlisted candidates, the following steps in the selection procedure shall consist of at least:

• a selection interview in which the vision and planning regarding education, research, and institutional and societal engagement as well as the embedding in the bigger picture are discussed

• a trial lesson on a subject in the relevant field

• a screening of leadership and interpersonal skills

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• You hold a thesis-based doctorate in Immunology, Urology, Systems Biology, or Biotechnology or a related field or a diploma or certificate that is recognized as equivalent (article V.20 Codex Higher Education ). Upon evaluation of a foreign (non-EU) diploma, a certificate of equivalence may still have to be requested at NARIC. If this is the case, we advise you to initiate this recognition procedure as soon as possible. You are required to have the recognition no later than on the date of your appointment.

• You have at least two years of postdoctoral experience on 1 February 2027. This term of two years is determined by the date written on the above-mentioned required diploma.

• Your application meets the formal requirements (submitted on time, complete: with a completed application form and a copy of the diploma, delivered via e-recruitment).

HOW TO APPLY

Apply  online through the e-recruitment system   before the application deadline  (see above). We do not accept late or incomplete applications, or applications that are not sent through the online system.

Your application must include the following documents

• In the field ‘Application form’ : the application form + any attachments merged into one pdf file. Include in your bibliography, next to the impact factor, also the quartile ranking of the journal (Q1,…, Q4).

• In the field 'Cover letter ': your application letter in pdf format. The candidates also explain how they will integrate this 10% assistant professorship with the remaining % of their scientific activities in benefit of the Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology. Add a short description of your current research and your plans for further research (max 2 pages, not including your application letter).

• In the field ‘Diploma’ : a transcript of your doctoral degree. If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages.

• In the field ‘Certificate of equivalence’ : only for diplomas awarded outside the European Union: certificate of equivalence ( NARIC ) (if already in you possession). For diplomas awarded in the UK before January 31st of 2020, a certificate of equivalence is not required.

Note that the maximum file size for each field is 10 MB.

MORE INFORMATION

For further information regarding this vacancy, please contact Professor Wim Declercq ( Wim.Declercq@ugent.be , +32 (0)9 331 13820) at the faculty of Sciences, department of Biomedical Molecular Biology.

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