Post-doctoral position in metabolism and disease

We are a small but very active research group, which is part of the Duve Institute, a multi-disciplinary and international biomedical research institute of the UCLouvain in Brussels. We are experts in regulation of intermediate metabolism, in enzymology and pioneers in the discovery of “metabolite-repair enzymes” and their involvement in the new class of “Inborn Errors of Metabolite repair”.

We focus on unraveling metabolic mechanisms underlying enzymatic defects, particularly those observed in Inborn Errors of Metabolism. Our lab discovered that neutropenia, which leads to severe infections in patients with Glycogen Storage Disease type Ib (GSD1b) and G6PC3 deficiency, is caused by the accumulation of a glucose metabolism inhibitor in neutrophils (Veiga-da-Cunha et al., PNAS, 2019).
This breakthrough led to the development of a new treatment that has since become the standard of care, significantly improving clinical outcomes for these patients (Wortmann et al., Blood, 2020; Boulanger et al., JIMD, 2022). However, we believe there is room for further optimization. A key focus of our current research is enhancing this treatment based on our recent identification of SGLT5 as a crucial renal transporter for managing neutropenia in these patients (Diederich et al., Cell Mol. Life Sci., 2023).
 

Beyond our work on neutropenia, our lab has a longstanding interest in glucose metabolism regulation, particularly glucose phosphorylation. In this context, we are investigating the pathophysiological mechanisms behind two neurodevelopmental diseases:
     • PGM2L1 deficiency (Morava et al., AJHG, 2021)
     • de novo mutations in hexokinase 1 (Wortmann et al., Neurol Genet., 2024)
 

To address these complex metabolic questions, we employ state-of-the-art metabolic analysis techniques, combining cell culture and mouse models with biochemical and enzymatic approaches.

We ask for a PhD degree in biomedical or biochemical sciences. Experience in cell biology, mastering cell culture techniques, metabolomics, enzymology and/or experience with working with mouse models are assets. 

We are looking for highly motivated and dedicated researchers, quality-oriented with a strong interest in fundamental research questions related to biochemistry and metabolism.

A good command of English (spoken and written) is a plus.