About this role
MSCA-DN PhD position in Molecular Pharmacology | 36 hours Nieuw Are you interested in molecular pharmacology and drug discovery? Join an interdisciplinary European research network and investigate a novel GPCR drug target for MLC, a rare genetic brain disease for which no drug treatment is currently available. MSCA-DN PhD position in Molecular Pharmacology - fte: 1,0 / 36 hours per week - Location: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - Salary will follow - React until: 5 October 2026 POLARIS doctoral network POLARIS is a European Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network focused on accelerating therapy development for leukodystrophies: rare genetic disorders affecting the brain's white matter. The network aims to strengthen the full translational pathway, from understanding disease mechanisms and developing disease models to preclinical therapy testing, clinical readiness and patient-informed treatment priorities. To achieve this, POLARIS brings together expertise in leukodystrophy biology, advanced disease models, therapeutic innovation, biomarker development, clinical translation, patient engagement, and ethical, regulatory and health-economic aspects of therapy development. The network will train a cohort of doctoral candidates in an international and interdisciplinary environment, combining academic research, industry-based preclinical development, secondments, network-wide training and transferable-skills development. The project is based within the Medicinal Chemistry research group at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam . You will investigate the molecular pharmacology of an orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) as a potential drug target for megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts (MLC), a rare genetic brain disease that affects mechanisms regulating brain volume. MLC currently has no available drug treatment. The orphan GPCR was recently identified as a potential drug target in a subgroup of people with MLC by re...