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A fully funded PhD Candidate position in Integrative Exposome and Multi-Omics for Brain–Body Health is available at Utrecht University, located in Utrecht. The position is hosted within the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Health Sciences, at the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS).
This interdisciplinary doctoral project focuses on integrating exposomics, multi-omics data, epidemiology, and neuroscience to better understand how environmental exposures influence human brain and body health.
Research Area: Exposome–Omics Integration and Brain–Body Health
The PhD project investigates how environmental exposures (chemical, physical, social, and lifestyle factors) affect biological systems across the brain–body axis. The research will:
- Integrate exposome data with multi-omics layers (genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics)
- Analyse molecular and brain-related endophenotypes
- Examine population diversity and heterogeneity in exposure-response patterns
- Characterise biological mechanisms linking environmental risk factors to neurological and systemic outcomes
The candidate will apply advanced statistical modelling and high-dimensional data analysis approaches tailored to complex, non-Gaussian biological data structures.
Host Research Environment
The position is embedded in the Molecular Epidemiology and Data Science Group, part of the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS).
IRAS operates within a One Health framework and spans the Faculties of Veterinary Medicine and Medicine. Research domains include:
- Toxicology
- Environmental Epidemiology
- Veterinary Public Health
- Exposure Science
- Planetary Health
The PhD candidate will collaborate with epidemiologists, neuroscientists, data scientists, and molecular biologists, as well as international partners within the UNITED consortium and other global research initiatives.
Academic and Technical Requirements
Required Qualifications
Applicants must have:
- A Master’s degree in Bioinformatics, Data Science, Statistics, Computational Biology, Epidemiology, Neuroscience, or a related discipline
- Programming expertise in R and/or Python
- Experience with quantitative modelling and complex biological datasets
- Strong scientific communication skills in English
Preferred Experience
- Analysis of brain-related data (e.g., neuroimaging, cognitive datasets)
- Multi-omics data processing and integration
- High-dimensional or multivariate statistical modelling
- Interdisciplinary collaborative research experience
Employment Terms and Benefits
- Initial one-year contract, extended to four years upon positive evaluation
- 36–40 working hours per week
- Monthly gross salary between €3,059 and €3,881 (CAO NU scale P)
- 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end bonus
- Pension scheme and partially paid parental leave
- Professional development and flexible employment benefits
Scientific and Career Impact
This PhD position is ideal for candidates pursuing careers in:
- Environmental and molecular epidemiology
- Systems biology and multi-omics research
- Brain health and neuroepidemiology
- Public health data science
- One Health and planetary health research
The project contributes to understanding how environmental risk factors influence biological systems across populations, supporting evidence-based interventions and sustainable health solutions.
Application Deadline
Applications must be submitted by March 23, 2026.
This doctoral opportunity provides advanced training in exposomics, computational biology, statistical modelling, and interdisciplinary health research, positioning graduates at the forefront of integrative biomedical and environmental sciences.
Apply now at : PhD Candidate in Integrative Exposome and Multi-Omics for Brain–Body Health – Working at Utrecht University – Utrecht University
