Senior Researcher Corneal Endothelial Tissue Engineering

Senior Researcher Corneal Endothelial Tissue Engineering

University of Antwerp

Antwerp, Belgium

The Department of Translational Neurosciences in the Faculty of Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences is looking for a full-time (100%) senior researcher in the field of corneal endothelial tissue engineering.

We are seeking a dynamic and motivated postdoctoral researcher to join our team in a unique and challenging role focused on the translation of a biosynthetic corneal endothelium from bench to bedside. This position is geared towards individuals with a strong translational mindset to bring this cutting-edge therapy to the patient. This project is funded by Regmed XB, a public-private partnership dedicated to bringing regenerative medicine solutions to patients. The Cornea Moonshot is a multi-university consortium including Ghent University, the University Hospital of Brussels, Maastricht University and Leiden University.

Position

Therapeutic translation of a corneal endothelial transplant:

Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams from other universities to translate research findings into practical therapeutic applications;

Design and execute experiments to validate the efficacy and safety of potential therapies for clinical use;

Implement strategies for scaling up production processes, ensuring a seamless transition from the laboratory to clinical trials.

Entrepreneurial mindset, backed by expert consultants:

Work closely with industry partners, investors, and stakeholders to foster collaborations and secure funding for translational initiatives.

Project Management:

Lead and coordinate the UAntwerp work packages of the research project, ensuring timely and efficient progress toward translational milestones;

Collaborate with cross-functional teams from other universities to integrate scientific and patient perspectives, aligning research goals with long-term clinical implementation.

Intellectual Property Management:

Contribute to the identification and protection of intellectual property through patent applications and other relevant mechanisms;

Assist in technology transfer processes and negotiations with industry partners.

Lab manager responsibility:

Support ongoing PhD projects and manage the research output according to academic standards;

Support the conceptualization and writing of grant applications for ongoing scientific research.

Profile

Ph.D. in a relevant field (e.g., biomedical sciences, pharmacology, molecular biology, vision science);

Proven track record in translational and/or vision research, with a focus on biomaterials, cell-biomaterial interaction and/or in vivo models;

Ideally and entrepreneurial mindset to bring therapy into clinics;

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with both academic and industry partners;

Experience in project management and a track record of successfully leading research teams;

Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies;

You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation;

You can speak and write fluently in English.