Postdoctoral Scholar Safety Pharmacology

**Function**
- Career Programs

**Sub function**
- Post Doc - Drug Discovery & Pre-Clinical/Clinical Development

**Category**
- Post Doc - Drug Discovery & Pre-Clinical/Clinical Development (ST5)

**Location**
- Beerse / Belgium

**Date posted**
- May 26 2025

**Requisition number**
- R-013898

**Work pattern**
- Fully Onsite

Description

**Job Function**:
Career Programs
** Job Sub Function**:
Post Doc - Drug Discovery & Pre-Clinical/Clinical Development
** Job Category**:
Career Program
** All Job Posting Locations**:
Beerse, Antwerp, Belgium
** Job Description**:
**Major Duties & Responsibilities**
- Establishing in vitro platforms of drug-induced peripheral neuropathies (DIPNs) using co-culture models of hiPSC-derived peripheral neurons and human Schwann cells
- Identification, testing and validation of human-relevant biomarkers for DIPNs in the in-vitro platforms
- Define strategies whilst collaborating with cross-functional teams and establish in-vitro screening tools to assess DIPN liabilities
- Data analysis and reporting
- Development, training, conferences and writing scientific papers for publication in relevant journals

**Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities**:

- PhD in Neuroscience, Physiology, Cell Biology, or a relevant field focused on CNS and PNS safety pharmacology/toxicity
- In-depth knowledge and experience in the mechanisms of peripheral neuropathies (up to the molecular level), electrophysiology, and hiPSCs, with a proven track record
- Hands-on experience in the experimental techniques mentioned below
- hiPSC-derived sensory or motor neurons co-cultured with human Schwann cells (or other human glial cells) on microfluidic platforms (2D)
- Multi-electrode array recordings of neuronal activities
- Fluorescence staining and imaging (ICC and live imaging such as IncuCyte)
- Gene and protein expression analyses e.g., RT-qPCR, RNAscope, Western blot, and ELISA (MSD/Simoa)
- Functional and molecular biomarker identification and detection from various sample types in vitro (cells/extracts/culture media)
- Ability to analyze and interpret sophisticated datasets using Excel, GraphPad, Spotfire and other analysis software
- Excellent presentation skills
- Strong communication skills to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams
- Ability to independently plan, prioritize and manage multiple tasks effectively
- Commitment to ethical drug development aligned with the 3Rs principles
- Ability to proactively seek evolving scientific advances and incorporate innovative methods into DIPN liability assessment
- Proficient in writing scientific manuscripts
- Proficiency in English

**Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities**:

- Experience in developing drug screening assays
- Experience in human Schwann cell cultures and maturations in vitro
- Experience in an in vitro model of neuromuscular junction
- Experience in recording axonal conductance in vitro and/or in vivo