PhD in Biology at Radboud University (Netherlands)

Key details

• Host institution: Radboud University
• Location: Radboud University, Houtlaan 4, Nijmegen, Netherlands
• Application deadline: May 29, 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

• Application portal / instructions: Official application link.
• Context on Euraxess: Original listing.

About the position

Are you interested in contributing to innovative research on the genetic, molecular, cellular, and physiological foundations of plant life? This PhD position provides a supportive research environment where you can advance fundamental plant biology with implications for future crop innovation.

Project Overview

Plants possess the remarkable ability to regenerate from a single cell or damaged tissue, which involves significant changes in cell programming and patterning, among other processes. Current hormone-induced regeneration methods in tissue culture often yield limited and unpredictable outcomes. Even under optimal conditions, only a small number of cells or cell groups successfully transition to regeneration, and fewer still form organized patterns for new shoots or roots. Cell and tissue polarity play crucial roles in guiding local molecule accumulation and cell division patterns, which are essential during regeneration.

In this PhD project, you will integrate studies on cell polarity, cell division, and plant hormones to explore how cellular patterns and signals enable specific cells to initiate and successfully complete regeneration. Reliable and reproducible plant regeneration is vital for the successful propagation of many crops, though detailed insights into these processes remain limited. You will primarily use tomato as a model species, with supplementary work in Arabidopsis thaliana. Your research will involve molecular techniques, cell biology, tissue culture, and advanced imaging to investigate cellular processes during regeneration.

Teaching Responsibilities

You will assist in teaching the new Crop Biotechnology and Engineering (CBE) MSc programme, for example by supervising tutorials or assisting during practicals. This position includes a teaching load of up to 10% of your working time.

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate.