项目介绍

2026年5月25日

Skeletal muscle plays a central role in coupling movement and metabolism. If you are motivated to work at the intersection of stem cell research, genomics and tissue engineering, join our dynamic research team at the Stem Cell Institute at KULeuven to engineer novel skeletal muscle organoid systems to study the metabolic plasticity of human skeletal muscle.

The Yilmaz Laboratory for Cell Fate Transition Research is part of a broad network of research groups at KU Leuven, which ranks among the world’s top 50 universities, with excellent expertise in cell biology, genomics, bioinformatics, tissue engineering and metabolomics in mammalian cells and in different organisms. As a PhD candidate under the supervision of Prof. Atilgan Yilmaz, you will work in close collaboration with the laboratory of Prof. Ioannis Papantoniou, a leading expert in tissue engineering and biofabrication. You will be a member of the highly international Leuven Stem Cell Institute (https://www.kuleuven.be/samenwerking/scil) and utilize a unique combination of methodologies and experimental tools, including the bioprinting of novel human pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids, measurements of biophysical properties, metabolic assays, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, transcriptome analyses, immunostaining and microscopy and in vitro disease models.

Project

You will develop a next-generation skeletal muscle organoid platform derived from human pluripotent stem cells. This bioprinted organoid platform will be used for metabolic and transcriptomic assessment of specific disease models and drug treatments. Metabolic plasticity of this platform will be studied through tissue-level, cellular and molecular characterization in healthy and disease states. 
For publications and research activities of both groups, please visit:https://www.kuleuven.be/wieiswie/en/person/00153792https://www.kuleuven.be/wieiswie/en/person/00078064

Profile

The successful candidate should:• hold a diploma or Master’s degree (from one of the countries of the European Economic Area or Switzerland) in cellular biology, biochemistry or bio-engineering or related biomedical field, with excellent marks.• have lab experience in molecular and cellular biology.• have experience in (or strong will to be trained for and use) next generation sequencing analysis • be structured, highly motivated, ambitious and adaptable to diverse methodologies and interdisciplinary environment.• be fluent in written and spoken English.

Offer

We offer you:
●  a full-time PhD position, pending a positive evaluation by your PhD committee after year 1. Remuneration will be according to the KU Leuven salary scales (https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/en/phd/phd-information#working-conditions).
●  training at the KULeuven, one of the top European Universities, providing an excellent international research environment.
●  opportunities to participate in local and international conferences and thus expand your scientific network.
●  a competitive stipend and benefits based on the KULeuven employment guidelines.
●  the applicant will be fully assisted and encouraged to apply for independent funding such as the FWO PhD Fellowship.

Interested?

For more information please contact Christina Vochten mail: christina.vochten@kuleuven.be.

Your application file should consist of the following documents: CV, Motivation letter, Two reference letters. You can apply for this job no later than June 22, 2026 via the online application tool