Nathalie Michels

Ghent University is advertising a PhD opportunity in the FWO-funded MindBreath project: Stress Resilience Intervention in Adolescents . The project sits at the intersection of psychology , psychophysiology , public health , and biology , and examines how growth mindsets and slow-paced breathing may improve adolescent mental health and stress resilience. The doctoral researcher will join an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology (Prof. Dr. Matteo Giletta; PHASE Lab), the Department of Head and Skin (Prof. Dr. Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt; GHEPLAB), and KU Leuven’s Department of Public Health and Primary Care (Prof. Dr. Nathalie Michels). The work will be based at Ghent University . Research topics include cognitive beliefs and mindset processes, physiological responses such as heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity , daily stress dynamics using experience sampling , and downregulation of inflammatory activity. The study uses a large randomized intervention with around 450 adolescents in secondary education and includes questionnaires, physiological measures, and school-based data collection. Applicants should have a master’s degree in psychology or a related discipline, preferably a research master with minimum cum laude. Strong English and Dutch skills are required, along with good scientific writing, communication, organization, teamwork, and motivation for school-based and intensive longitudinal research. Experience with multilevel or nested data analysis in R and/or Mplus is desirable. The position is a full-time doctoral fellowship starting no later than 1 October 2026 , initially for 12 months and extendable up to 48 months after positive evaluation. The fellowship is described as 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances, with standard Ghent University benefits. Applications must be submitted in English as a single PDF including a CV, diploma and study results, motivation letter, and contact details for at least two academic referees. Send the application by email to [email protected] with the subject PhD position FWO MindBreath by 5 July 2026, 23:59 Brussels time .