PhD project on embryo research and embryo proxies: ethical and policy questions

☞ KU Leuven

Vue: 125

Jour de mise à jour: 25-11-2025

Localisation: Leuven Flemish Brabant

Catégorie: Santé / soins médicaux Médecins / Infirmière

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PhD project on embryo research and embryo proxies: ethical and policy questions

(ref. BAP-2024-590)
Laatst aangepast: 11/09/24
A successful candidate will be selected to work on a research project coordinated by the Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven). The Center for Biomedical Ethics and Law at KU Leuven (www.cbmer.be) is an interdisciplinary research center that analyzes ethical and societal questions regarding innovations in biomedical research and healthcare. The research group collaborates closely with researchers from KU Leuven and UZ Leuven, as well as various external partners such as healthcare providers, patient organizations, government representatives, regulatory agencies, reimbursement agencies, and the pharmaceutical industry at national, European, and international levels. Staff members publish research in international academic journals, participate in national and international research projects, disseminate their findings through participation in national and international conferences, and are involved in providing advice to academic and professional organizations.

Project

The IMPLANTEU consortium is an international network, funded under the Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN), that is opening 13 doctoral positions (full advertisement for the various phd positions: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/270249). IMPLANTEU is dedicated to advancing research in embryo implantation across both human health and agriculture. This international network seeks to develop a comprehensive molecular blueprint of implantation, with the dual goals of enhancing our understanding of human reproductive processes and improving implantation efficiency in livestock. By combining cross-disciplinary expertise in reproductive and stem cell biology, medicine, physiology, ethics, law, and advanced technologies such as stem cell-based embryo models, organoids, machine learning, and organs-on-chip, the project is set to make significant contributions to both fields.

Key Features of the PhD Positions:
Multidisciplinary training: Doctoral candidates will receive comprehensive training across various scientific disciplines, including reproductive and stem cell biology, bioengineering, and ethics.
International secondments: Each doctoral candidate will spend a period on secondment, visiting another research center or industry partner within the IMPLANTEU network. This transdisciplinary training is designed to ensure knowledge sharing and integration across the entire network.

Personalized Career Development Plans: Candidates will undergo an initial assessment to determine their training needs. Based on this, a personalized plan for training, secondments, and career development will be established to align each candidate’s career aspirations with the scientific objectives of the project.

The goal of this specific PhD project is to analyse ethical aspects of embryo proxies. The objectives are to (1) To identify, discuss and analyse ethical and policy issues on the use of embryos for research; and (2) To identify, discuss and analyse ethical and policy issues regarding in vitro modelling and the use of various types of proxies for the human embryo and the endometrium. Ethical and policy aspects will be studied from both a theoretical and an empirical perspective. The use of this multi-disciplinary approach to investigate the ethical aspects of embryo proxies for research will assist in the development of a policy analysis and recommendations related to their use.

Profile

  • You have completed a Master’s degree in Philosophy, Law, Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Bioethics, Social Sciences, another relevant degree (Master’s level) with a pronounced interest in area of research.
  • You have experience with social scientific methods, such as qualitative methods.
  • You are enthusiastic, ambitious, dynamic, flexible, and open to challenges and developments.
  • You have good organizational skills and can work independently and make decisions.
  • You have excellent social and written communication skills in English.
  • You can work in an international multidisciplinary team.
  • You are willing to contribute to collective activities of the research group (such as educational services, lab meetings, research proposals, supervision of bachelor and master students, etc.).
  • You have not resided or carried out your main activity (e.g. work, studies) in Belgium for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the start of his/her assignment.

Offer

A PhD position within an internationally leading multidisciplinary team with relevant experience and expertise. The research will take place at KU Leuven under supervision of Professor Pascal Borry.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position should be submitted by email to investigacion@eugin.es using "IMPLANTEU PhD candidate followed by the DC number 5. Candidates are invited to apply by submitting a detailed CV, a motivation letter, and all other requested supporting documents as outlined in the application form. Please ensure that you fill out the attached application form. This application form can be found on https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/270249 Applications submitted without this form or any of the required documents will not be considered. If you are applying for more than one of the IMPLANTEU PhD positions, you may indicate your top 1-3 preferences in the application form by using the DC numbers associated with the projects.

Although the application form can also be uploaded in the KU Leuven platform here, applications that are not be submitted to email to to investigacion@eugin.es (using "IMPLANTEU PhD candidate followed by the DC number 5) will not be considered.

Application Deadline: 4 Oct 2024 - 13:00 (Europe/Madrid)

Interview and start dates: We anticipate that video interviews will be conducted for all candidates in October 2024, with the goal of a November 2024-January 2025 start date.

https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/270249

Interested?

Interested? For more information, please contact Prof. Dr. Pascal Borry, Tel.: +32 16 37 95 17, Email: pascal.borry@kuleuven.be

You can apply for this job no later than October 04, 2024 via the online application tool

KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.

    Heb je een vraag over de online sollicitatieprocedure? Raadpleeg onze veelgestelde vragen of stuur een e-mail naar solliciteren@kuleuven.be


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    Tewerkstellingspercentage: Voltijds
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    Locatie : Leuven
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    Solliciteren tot en met:
    04/10/2024 23:59 CET
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    Tags: Maatschappelijke gezondheidszorg en eerstelijnszorg, Biologie, Antropologie, Politicologie / Internationale betrekkingen / Bestuurswetenschappen, Sociologie, Rechten, Theologie, Filosofie
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    Date limite: 09-01-2026

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