PhD in behavioural neurobiology and menopause brain health
PhD opening in
behavioural neurobiology
at the
University of Groningen
, embedded in the
Memory, Sleep, and Hormones (MeSH) lab
and the Neurobiology group at GELIFES. The project focuses on the
neurobiology of menopause
, especially the short- and long-term consequences of
estradiol deprivation
in the aging female brain.
The PhD candidate will work with
middle- to older-aged female rats
and use experimental models of menopause, including ovarian removal, suppression of non-ovarian estradiol sources, sleep disturbance, and thermodysregulation. Outcomes include markers related to
estrogen signaling
,
Alzheimer’s disease
, cognition, sleep, temperature, and glucose metabolism. The project aims to identify when estradiol loss is harmful and when it is not, with relevance for menopause hormone therapy and anti-estrogen breast cancer treatments.
Training will be provided in state-of-the-art neuroscience methods such as
rodent cognitive tasks
,
confocal microscopy
, and
PET imaging
acquisition/analysis. The candidate will manage the project, analyze and interpret data, disseminate findings, supervise MSc and BSc students, and contribute to teaching in Biology.
Eligibility highlights:
Master’s degree in neuroscience, biology, biomedical sciences, psychology, or a related field; relevant experience in rodent behavior, female physiology, computational and/or systems neuroscience; at least one completed neuroscience research project; excellent English. Strong preference is given to candidates familiar with women’s brain health, SABV, behavioral neuroendocrinology, animal behavioral training, EEG sleep analysis, PET/MRI processing, immunofluorescence, hormone assays, and animal experimentation certification (Article 9/FELASA or equivalent if outside the EU).
Funding and conditions:
salaried PhD position with a monthly salary indication of
€3204—€4051
, 232 vacation hours per year (38-hour week), 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and 8% holiday allowance.
Application:
deadline is
2026-09-15
. Apply through AcademicTransfer and check the English language requirement page if you are not exempt. Contact
Niki Gervais
at
[email protected]
for questions.
