Research professor in Genomics Medicine (BOFZAP)

The Department of Human Genetics of KU Leuven, invites candidates to apply for a full-time research professorship. This position is funded by the Special Research Fund (BOFZAP), established by the Flemish Government. We are looking for motivated and internationally oriented candidates with an excellent research record and with educational competence in the field of Genomics Medicine. The appointment is expected to start on October 1, 2027. Applications will be evaluated in parallel and independently by 1) the KU Leuven Research Council in a competitive process across academic domains and 2) the faculty advisory committee. During the first 10 years, the teaching obligations as a research professor will be limited. Afterwards, the position will be transformed into a regular professorship.

Genomics is transforming medicine. Genomic medicine operates at the interface of biomedical and data sciences, integrating clinical genetics with population genomics and challenging existing ethical and legal frameworks. It seeks to combine knowledge of the genomics of normal development, ageing, and disease with a range of methodologies such as molecular, genomic, procedural, infrastructural, computational, screening, and AI-based approaches to translate genomic information into healthcare practice. The candidate is expected to contribute to the development of new models of genomic healthcare delivery, including attention for organizational, clinical, and policy dimensions. A close collaboration with the Center for Human Genetics (CME) is expected to enable co-development of care pathways and quality frameworks, and to ensure coherent integration with national system actors. The position therefore requires strong alignment with the clinical and translational genomics activities embedded within CME. The successful candidate will contribute to shaping future genomic healthcare models that are scalable, ethically robust, and aligned with emerging national and international policy frameworks. You strive for excellence in your research and thus contribute to the further scientific development of the department.

The Department of Human Genetics (DME) is a leading European center for Human Genetics. Its primary objectives revolve around achieving excellence in research, education, and translational applications. These efforts aim to enhance genetic diagnosis, counselling, therapy, and preventive measures. The department's research portfolio encompasses both fundamental and clinical research conducted across various domains and models, including cultured cells, animal models, and human subjects. The research focus of DME is genome structure and function, and development and use of state of the art genomics and bioinformatics methodologies and deploying them for the diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders as well as prevention of disease in susceptible individuals.

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Duties

Research

Teaching

Service

Scientific, societal and internal services (administrative and/or institutional) are also part of the assignment.

Requirements

Offer

• We offer full-time employment in an intellectually challenging environment. KU Leuven is an research-intensive, internationally oriented university that carries out both fundamental and applied scientific research. Our university is highly inter- and multidisciplinary focused and strives for international excellence. In this regard, we actively collaborate with research partners in Belgium and abroad. We provide our students with an academic education that is based on high-quality scientific research.
• Depending on your qualifications and academic experience, you will be appointed to or tenured in one of the grades of the senior academic staff: assistant professor, associate professor, professor or full professor. In principle, junior researches are appointed as assistant professor on the tenure track for a period of 5 years; after this period and a positive evaluation, they are permanently appointed as an associate professor.
• You will work in Leuven, a historic and dynamic and vibrant city located in the heart of Belgium, within twenty minutes from Brussels, the capital of the European Union, and less than two hours from Paris, London and Amsterdam.
• KU Leuven is well set to welcome foreign professors and their family and provides practical support with regard to immigration and administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, partner career coaching, …
• In order to facilitate scientific onboarding and accelerate research in the first phase a starting grant of 110.000 euro is offered to new professors (subject to eligibility criteria).

More information

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Interested?

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