Vacaturenr.
15914
Functie-categorie
Wetenschappelijke functies
Omvang (fte)
1,0
Extern/intern
Extern
Locatie
Leiden
Geplaatst op
14 augustus 2025
Sluitingsdatum
12 september 2025
The Metabolomics & Analytics Centre at the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR) at Leiden University is looking for a

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER FOR INNOVATIVE MICROFLUIDIC PLATFORM FOR EXOSOME ENRICHMENT AND MS ANALYSIS

The Metabolomics and Analytics Center (MAC) is seeking a talented and motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to advance the integration of cutting-edge microfluidics with mass spectrometry (MS) for exosome purification and metabolic profiling. This project aims to develop an innovative biotechnology platform for analyzing extracellular vesicles (EVs)—particularly exosomes—with potential applications across diagnostics, oncology, and drug development.
In previous collaboration with EXIT071, a MAC spinout, we developed a depletion zone isotachophoresis (dzITP) device for highly efficient preconcentration, separation, and filtration of biomolecules. The next phase of this work involves coupling this microfluidic technology directly to MS—leveraging the powerful synergy of dzITP with MS, the gold standard for metabolomics, to maximize insight into exosome-derived biomarkers.
This project will center on the design and implementation of a novel microfluidic transfer module, enabling automated introduction of purified fractions into the MS system. This will involve segmented flow and automation, with the goal of establishing a robust, high-throughput platform for targeted exosome analysis which can also be applied to other volume-limited samples.
This position is part of the EU-funded DRAGON project, which brings together biomedical and clinical partners from Italy and Spain to co-develop diagnostic tools for monitoring bladder cancer progression and drug resistance via EV analysis. The Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), home to MAC, is internationally recognized for its expertise in metabolomics and technology development for biofluid diagnostics and industrial biotechnology.

REQUIREMENTS

• PhD in Analytical Chemistry, Microfluidics, Chemical or Biomedical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience with microfluidic systems, segmented flow, and automation.
• Interest or experience in metabolomics, mass spectrometry, and scientific programming is highly desirable.
• Strong communication skills and fluency in English (spoken and written).

• Design and miniaturize a microfluidic-MS transfer module for automated metabolic analysis.
• Integrate an exosome purification microchip with MS for high-sensitivity, targeted metabolomics.
• Develop automated, high-throughput workflows for sample handling and data acquisition.
• Collaborate with EXIT071 to advance dzITP technology for diagnostic and drug discovery applications.
• Optionally mentor or collaborate with MSc and PhD students involved in the project.