Clinical PhD Cardiovascular coupling between mother and fetus

Introduction

Tertiary maternity care at Máxima Medical Center (Máxima MC) is a highly specialized care discipline in which highly pregnant women are intensively monitored due to a serious threat of premature birth or pathology in the pregnancy. Because complications in the period around childbirth have a major impact on the rest of the lives of mothers and newborns, it is crucial that they receive the best possible fetomaternal monitoring during this period so that timely intervention can be performed. Máxima MC is committed to the continuous improvement of this tertiary care.

Pregnancy complications have been shown to be associated with both abnormal development of the fetal cardiovascular system (fCVS) and the placenta. For example, the maternal cardiovascular system (mCVS) must adapt to allow for proper placental development, resulting in effective mother-child interaction. Maladaption is often observed in pregnancy complications. However, how this maladaption leads to pregnancy-related cardiovascular complications has not been sufficiently investigated. The MAPPING project will comprehensively investigate the link between mCVS and fCVS with the ultimate goal of improving clinical outcomes related to pregnancy.

The research will be conducted at the Obstetric High Care (OHC) department of the Máxima MC . The PhD candidate will conduct a comprehensive study on the coupling between the cardiovascular systems of mother and fetus during pregnancy. To achieve this, the candidate will conduct a clinical study to collect synchronized clinical data, using traditional methods such as Doppler ultrasound and innovative electrophysiological measurements such as maternal-fetal electrocardiography (ECG) and electrohysterography (EHG). Work will also be done on visualizing the data insights so that these so-called “coupling maps” can ultimately be used in clinical practice to better map the individual coupling between mother and child. These will then serve as a future guideline for the care pathway to be chosen.

Job description

• Developing a clinical protocol for electrophysiological and ultrasound data collection, where the candidate is responsible for the study design and execution. In particular, the candidate will write the documentation for ethical approval (METC) and perform the clinical study and data collection. This includes measurements with echo Doppler and fetal heart rate.
• Interpreting the study results regarding cardiovascular coupling at different gestational ages and complications. From this, coupling maps are derived from a physiological perspective, based on existing knowledge of cardiovascular coupling and disease patterns.
• To determine the best graphical representation of cardiovascular coupling for clinical interpretation by obstetricians and gynecologists. The candidate will do this by discussing possible options with a group of Dutch experts, using qualitative research methods.

The results of the scientific work will form the basis for an academic dissertation.

The candidate will contribute to the ‘MAPPING’ project that is funded by the NWO. This project is a collaboration with the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and the team includes both clinicians and engineers at both locations in Veldhoven and Eindhoven.

Job requirements

We are looking for candidates who meet the following profile:

• Master’s degree in medicine or technical medicine.
• Strong interest in clinical research.
• Team player mentality, interested in collaborating with different teams.
• High motivation and creativity, accurate and structured.
• Good Dutch communication and organizational skills for the clinical context.
• Excellent English language skills (writing and presentation).

Working conditions

We offer a temporary, 4-year position in a research group with an excellent reputation. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities, including:

• Full-time appointment for four years, with an interim evaluation (go/no-go) after nine months. You will spend 10% of your appointment on teaching duties or assistance with other clinical studies.
• Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid maternity and parental leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (min. €2,901 max. €3,707).
• An end-of-year bonus of 8.3% and annual holiday pay of 8%.
• High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-confident, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e ​​we challenge you to take control of your own learning process.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, childcare on campus and sports facilities.
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.

A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% scheme) for international candidates.

Here you will find more information about our  employment conditions . Build your career at TU/e!

Information and application

Information

For more information about the project and informal questions, please contact prof. M. Mischi ( m.mischi@ tue.nl ) or J. van Laar ( judith.van.laar@ mmc.nl ) or B. van der Hout ( mbvdhout@ tue.nl ).

For questions about the  application process  or  employment conditions , please contact HR ( hrservices.flux@ tue.nl ).

Curious?   You can find more about working at TU/e ​​at www.tue.nl/jobs .

Application

If you are interested, please use the ‘apply now’ button at the top of this page. You will need to upload:

• a letter of motivation in which you explain your motivation and suitability for the position;
• a detailed Curriculum Vitae (including English language proficiency, nationality, visa requirements, date of birth as well as programming skills, experience summary, publication list (if any), and main achievements in research project(s));
• contact details of two academic references;
• copies of diplomas with transcripts;

All these documents are mandatory. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Candidates are selected based on graduation rates and proficiency at the university, including consideration of the university’s reputation, relevant experience and skills, writing skills and publications, work experience, and performance during interviews.

Please note that you can only upload 5 documents of maximum 2 MB each.

Reference number: 2025/256