Maastricht University
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PhD Position: MRI and Mechanisms of Dementia – Brain Clearance Maastricht University in Netherlands
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Paid PhD position with a gross monthly salary of €3204 to €4051 for a full-time 38-hour week, plus 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end bonus. Initial one-year contract, extendable by 3 years upon mutual satisfaction.
Deadline
Nov 19, 2026
Country
Netherlands
University
Maastricht University
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About this position
This PhD project at Maastricht University and Maastricht UMC+ explores how the smallest blood vessels in the brain contribute to dementia and the clearance of harmful waste products from brain tissue. The work is part of the MODEM consortium, which studies the biological mechanisms underlying the onset and progression of dementia.
You will investigate the neurovascular unit, with a particular focus on how capillaries interact with surrounding brain tissue and how microvascular function may relate to cognitive decline. Because these microvessels are too small to be seen with conventional MRI, the project uses advanced MRI methods to indirectly visualize their physiology and function.
The position combines patient-facing clinical research with technical and computational work. After training, you will scan patients with abnormalities of the smallest cerebral vessels, then analyse the resulting data using quantitative methods, computation, and AI-based approaches. You will also help design and implement biophysical models of cerebral circulation and contrast-agent transport.
You will work in a multidisciplinary environment with scientists, engineers, and clinicians at Maastricht UMC+ and collaborate with researchers across the Mental Health & Neuroscience institute and the national MODEM consortium. The project offers close supervision, opportunities for training, and a strong research setting that bridges advanced medical imaging, methodology development, and direct patient-oriented neuroscience.
Funding details
Paid PhD position with a gross monthly salary of €3204 to €4051 for a full-time 38-hour week, plus 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end bonus. Initial one-year contract, extendable by 3 years upon mutual satisfaction.
What's required
A completed master's degree in biomedical technology, biomedical sciences, technical medicine, physics, electrical engineering, or a comparable field is required. Experience with data analysis and writing/executing your own code in MATLAB and/or Python is required, preferably gained through a research project, master's thesis, or internship. Experience with MRI and/or image processing is preferred. Very good Dutch at CEFR C1 level is required for approaching and guiding patients and communicating with hospital staff, and very good English at CEFR C1 level is required, especially in writing, to process literature and report research results.
How to apply
Apply via the AcademicTransfer application link. Submit your application before 19 November 2026 through the online button on the vacancy page.
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Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.
Make your next move.
Prepare your application
Review drafts and confirm requirements with the university.