PhD student ERC project Empowering expectations for health and disease: Training the immune and endocrine

system, theme Psychoneurobiological mechanisms and effects of training endocrine responses

Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Institute of Psychology, vacancy 14-136

The Institute of Psychology at Leiden University comprises six units for teaching and

research: Health, Medical and Neuropsychology, Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Psychology,

Developmental and Educational Psychology, Social and Organisational Psychology, and

Methodology and Statistics. The Institute of Psychology offers a stimulating environment that

promotes collaboration within and between units.

The Health, Medical and Neuropsychology unit is hosting an ERC Consolidator Grant entitled

Empowering expectations for health and disease: Training the immune and endocrine system, for which it is currently looking for a:

Project description

The ERC project focuses on optimizing the role of placebo mechanisms and expectations (e.g.

conditioning) in health and disease by training the immune and endocrine system. In this ERC

Consolidator Grant of prof. dr. Andrea Evers (project leader), a number of PhD students and

senior researchers will be involved, with both experiments in healthy participants and clinical-

experimental research in patients with chronic inflammatory conditions.

This specific part of the project is focused on training of the endocrine system by means of

psychological expectancy mechanisms (e.g. conditioning) and the psychoneurobiological

effects, for instance in reaction to (pharmacological) stress. There will be close collaborations

with different disciplines within Leiden University, the Leiden University Medical Center,

and other centers.

Tasks

You will be responsible for conducting different experimental studies of training endocrine

responses (e.g. by conditioning) and their psychoneurobiological effects. You will write

scientific, peer-reviewed publications, resulting in a PhD thesis. For about 10% of the

position, you will contribute to the teaching program of the Health, Medical and

Neuropsychology unit.

Requirements

The candidate should have:

a Master or equivalent degree in a relevant field (completion of the MA thesis before

the PhD project starts), including (health, medical or biological) psychology, health

sciences, or biomedical sciences;

high affinity with experimental and/or psychoneurobiological research;

substantial knowledge of statistical methods and high analytical skills;

ambition as high-potential researcher aimed at excellent scientific research;

ability to work independently in a multidisciplinary setting;

social and organizational competencies;

proficiency in Dutch and English (or the intention to reach it within a short period of

time).

We offer

A temporary position for 1.0 fte at the Health, Medical and Neuropsychology unit at the

Institute of Psychology at Leiden University. The salary level ranges between 2.083,- and 2.664,- gross per month (salary scale for PhD students), with additional holiday and end-of-

year bonuses. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax

break. Successful candidates will be appointed fixed-term for one year with possible

extension to four years (starting with a one-year probation period). More information about

the terms of employment can be found at: http://staff.leiden.edu/.

Information

Inquiries may be addressed to Prof. dr. Andrea Evers, head of Health, Medical and

Neuropsychology unit, or Dr. Henrit van Middendorp, Associate Professor Health, Medical

and Neuropsychology. Tel 071 527 3627, Email: a.breugem@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.

For further information about our unit and its teaching and research activities, please visit our

website: http://www.socialsciences.leiden.edu/psychology/organisation/hmn/.

Applications

Candidates should submit a letter of application stating the motivation for the position

(specifying the vacancy number), accompanied by: a curriculum vitae; the names and contact

information for two references (no letters); as well as copies of your academic transcripts (or

Dutch cijferlijst). Applications can be submitted until the 28th of May.

Interviews are scheduled to take place as soon as possible at Leiden University.

Please send your application (PDF files) by e-mail to vacature@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.

Receipt of your application will be confirmed by e-mail. If you have not received a

confirmation within three days after submission, please contact us directly at +31 71 527

3427.