PhD Candidate Towards a tiered risk assessment strategy to evaluate the safety of herbal supplements

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PhD Candidate Towards a tiered risk assessment strategy to evaluate the safety of herbal supplements

Welcome to Maastricht University!

Would you like to help detect health risks in herbal food supplements earlier, using data-driven approaches? Herbal supplements are often considered safe because they are natural. But how well do we actually understand their potential health effects? In this PhD project, you will develop a testing strategy to identify possible hazards earlier and contribute to safer use of herbal supplements.

PhD Candidate: Towards a tiered risk assessment strategy to evaluate the safety of herbal supplements

Herbal food supplements are widely used and often perceived as inherently safe because they are ‘natural’. Yet these products can contain complex mixtures of bioactive compounds, and their composition may vary depending on the plant material, extraction method and production process. Contamination, adulteration and differences between batches add further uncertainty. Because these products are generally not tested before entering the market, potential adverse effects may only become apparent once they are already widely used.

That is why a robust and structured strategy is needed to better evaluate the safety of herbal supplements and reduce potential risks to human health. In this collaborative project, you will investigate the hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, genotoxicity and endocrine-disrupting potential of diverse herbal extracts using human-relevant in vitro models and complementary bioassays. You will also examine how liver metabolism influences their toxicity. For selected extracts, you will use chemical analyses such as LC-MS/MS and GC-MS to help identify the compounds responsible for the observed effects. The complementary PhD project at Utrecht University will investigate other potential adverse health effects, including neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity and effects on the blood-brain barrier.

This position is part of a four-year research programme commissioned by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). The project is a collaborative effort with Utrecht University to investigate and evaluate the potential toxicity of herbal supplements using a range of in vitro approaches. Together, the two projects will contribute to an integrated strategy for the early detection and prioritisation of potential hazards associated with herbal food supplements.

Your colleagues

You will work in the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology at Maastricht University and be embedded in NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism. Here, you will join a multidisciplinary environment where biologists, chemists and toxicologists investigate how chemical exposures and oxidative stress alter cellular processes. The department gives you access to expertise and facilities in cell-based toxicology, molecular biology and chemical analysis.

The project will be led at Maastricht University by Dr Misha Vrolijk, who will provide daily supervision.

What you do

You develop and apply a next-generation strategy for assessing the safety of complex herbal preparations. Your main activities are: Review scientific literature, nutrivigilance data, risk assessments and available in silico information to select relevant botanicals, endpoints and assays.

Develop and validate an effect-based test battery for hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, genotoxicity and endocrine activity using well-characterised reference botanicals.

Use human-relevant in vitro models and complementary bioassays to screen complete herbal preparations, including products whose exact composition is not fully known.

Contribute to mechanistic experiments and targeted chemical analyses, including LC-MS/MS and GC-MS, to identify compounds associated with observed biological activity.

Integrate toxicological, chemical-analytical, in silico and nutrivigilance data to relate in vitro potency to plausible human exposure.

Publish your findings in peer-reviewed journals, present them at scientific meetings and contribute to project reporting.

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we’d love to meet you.

What you bring

We’re not looking for checkboxes; we’re interested in who you are and what you bring. Do you recognize yourself in this?

You are a curious, open-minded and proactive researcher with strong analytical skills and perseverance to develop and troubleshoot laboratory methods. You are able to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, and you collaborate effectively within a network that includes Maastricht University, Utrecht University, the NVWA, and external scientific partners.

Furthermore, you bring:

A successfully completed Master of Science (MSc) in Biomedical Sciences, Molecular Life Sciences, Toxicology, Chemistry, Food Safety or any related field.

Theoretical knowledge and experience and affinity with the field of toxicology, food safety, and/or risk assessment through academic training (courses, thesis, or research project) in your previous education.

Hands-on experience and strong analytical capacity in mammalian cell culture, relevant molecular or biochemical assays (PCR, bioassays), and standard chemical analytical techniques such as HPLC and mass spectrometry.

Practical experience with one or more of the following is an advantage: 2D/3D cell models, genotoxicity testing, reporter-gene assays, oxidative stress or mitochondrial assays, S9 metabolism studies, or analytical chemistry/mass spectrometry.

Strong communication skills in English (fluent at C1 level), including scientific English writing and presenting and who has the ambition to share research outside of regular scholarly activities (such as writing publications).

What we offer

At Maastricht University, you’ll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer:

A 12-month contract (1,0 FTE) with the prospect of a 3 year extension based on mutual satisfaction.

A gross monthly salary between € 3.204 and € 4.051 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week). 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus.

29 vacation days (based on full-time), four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day), and the possibility to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours.

Freedom and space to shape your work independently and develop your ideas.

A close-knit community of colleagues to collaborate and grow with.

A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness schemes, and access to various university sports facilities.

An inspiring work environment in the heart of Europe.

About the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML)

FHML is committed to health in the broadest sense: from molecule to human, and from healthcare to prevention. We train healthcare professionals and researchers through innovative educational programmes and conduct groundbreaking research in health and well-being. As part of Maastricht UMC+ (MUMC+), our international and interdisciplinary community forms a unique collaboration between university and academic hospital, where education, research, and care come together.

Interested?

Want to know more about this position or what it’s like to work at our university? Contact Dr Misha Vrolijk at m.vrolijk@maastrichtuniversity.nl or Dr. Roger Godschalk at r.godschalk@maastrichtuniversity.nl. The deadline for submitting your application is 20 September 2026.

If you are interested, please upload your CV and motivation letter.

The selection procedure consists of two interviews. A presentation or assignment may also be part of the selection process.

Apply now via the button below. We look forward to getting to know you!

About Maastricht University

At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,300 students and 5,400 employees across 5 regional locations, 6 faculties, and more than 70 research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities for yourself and the world around you. Together, we can find the answers for tomorrow.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

At Maastricht University, we prefer to contact potential candidates directly. We therefore kindly ask that no agencies or intermediaries submit offers or approaches.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.

Job Type: Academic

Faculty/Service Center: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences

Closing date: 20-09-2026

FTE min: 1,0

FTE max: 1,0

Salary min: €3204,00

Salary max: €4051,00

ID job: 3708

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Job Type: Academic

Faculty/Service Center: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences

Closing date: 20-09-2026

FTE min: 1,0

FTE max: 1,0

Salary min: €3204,00

Salary max: €4051,00

ID job: 3708

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