PhD in Multiscale Modeling of Kiwifruit Texture – KU Leuven

Key details

• Host institution: KU LEUVEN
• Location: KU LEUVEN, Leuven, Belgium
• Application deadline: August 31, 2026

Funding

Not funded by a EU programme

Funding level (from listing): partial or not via EU framework — confirm on the official call.

How to apply

• Apply by email to [email protected] (subject line and attachments per the official instructions).
• Full vacancy text and updates: Euraxess listing.

About the position

We are offering a 4-year PhD position at KU Leuven’s Arenberg Doctoral School to develop a multiscale computational model linking molecular-level pectin breakdown to whole-fruit texture loss in kiwifruit.

Project Overview

Kiwifruit soften during ripening as pectin in the cell wall middle lamella is progressively degraded, weakening cell adhesion. This project will build an object-oriented individual-based model in which pectin-degrading enzymes act on simulated pectin chains, cutting and simplifying the polymer backbone over time. Enzyme production will be modelled from gene transcript data, connecting gene expression to enzymatic activity and polymer-scale degradation. Resulting changes in pectin structure will be translated into evolving cell-cell adhesion parameters within an existing discrete element model of fruit tissue. The model will be validated against a rich experimental dataset including pectin fraction analysis, chain length measurements by size exclusion chromatography, enzyme activity assays, dynamic X-ray CT, and micromechanical compression testing, in collaboration with the New Zealand Bioeconomy Science Institute.

Candidate Profile

• Diploma in bioscience engineering, computer science, physics, or related fields
• Good understanding of cell wall biochemistry and/or a basis in computational or quantitative biology
• Eagerness to learn and quickly acquire skills in available methods, models, and software
• Programming experience in Matlab, Python, or similar
• Interest in working with advanced software for individual-based, discrete element, or mechanistic kinetic modelling
• Fluent English and ability to integrate in an international postharvest group
• Aim for high-impact publications in journals such as New Phytologist, Plant Physiology, Postharvest Biology and Technology, or general top journals

What We Offer

• Full-time 4-year PhD position at the Arenberg Doctoral School
• Supervision by prof. Bart Nicolaï, dr. Maarten Hertog, and prof. Bart Smeets
• Close collaboration with the New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science, including short-term scientific exchanges with their researchers
• Opportunities to participate in national and international scientific meetings
• Location in Leuven, a vibrant university city with metropolitan flair in the heart of Europe, close to Brussels

Contact

For more information, please contact Prof. dr. ir. Bart Nicolai ([email protected]), Dr. Maarten Hertog ([email protected]), or Prof. dr. ir. Bart Smeets ([email protected]).