Job description

Exercise Therapy in Patients following Renal Transplantation
The consortium of the Department of Nephrology and Rehabilitation Sciences at Ghent University Hospital and Ghent University aims at investigating the role exercise therapy in the management of patients following kidney transplantation. As such, this consortium looks into the effects of different formats | modalities | characteristics of exercise-based rehabilitation and possible mechanisms of the cardiovascular adaptation to training in persons following abdominal transplantation.

The present project is a multicentre collaboration between different research groups and clinical partners from KU Leuven, UZ Leuven, UGent and UZ Gent.

PHOENIX Projects
PHOENIX encompasses a multidisciplinary research project aiming to provide the clinical evidence base for the use of home-based exercise therapy as an accessible, clinical and cost-effective treatment to prevent the deleterious effects of sedentary behaviour on cardiovascular health outcomes in patients following renal transplantation. Therefore, we will conduct a large randomized controlled exercise trials in patients following kidney transplantation (n=110). Patients will be randomized to usual care or a 6-month home-based remotely guided exercise program. Primary outcome is cardiorespiratory fitness assessed by peak oxygen consumption. Secondary outcomes are cardiovascular health parameters, gut microbiome, safety (incl. infection incidence), physical functioning, quality of life, cost-effectiveness, and implementation potential.
The PhD student will work on the exercise studies, taking an important part in recruitment, screening, intervention delivery, outcome assessment, data analysis and reporting. The PhD student will focus on functional parameters, quality of life and cost-effectiveness. The conducted activities will result in a PhD thesis (Ghent University) that will be defended by the end of the research project. The candidate will work closely with other members of the research groups and clinical units, who are working on related topics.

Offer

• We offer a fulltime PhD scholarship.
• Initially, the position is offered for 1 year with the possibility of extension after positive evaluation.
• The salary will be in accordance with the University salary scales for doctoral researchers.
• You will be enrolled in the doctoral school program of your interest and the research groups offer ample opportunities to follow postgraduate education.

Job profile

Profile

• We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate with a MA degree in rehabilitation sciences, occupational sciences, health education and health promotion, sports sciences, biomedical sciences, medical sciences or related fields.
• Candidates have a strong interest and/or background in exercise physiology and qualitative studies.
• Candidates have excellent organizational and (qualitative) data analytic skills.
• Candidates have excellent communicative skills in Dutch and English (both verbally and academic writing).

How to apply

Apply by sending your curriculum vitae and motivation letter to prof. Patrick Calders (patrick.calders@ugent.be), Tuesday October 5 2021 23:59 h. at the latest.
Late applications will not be accepted.

For more information please contact prof. Patrick Calders (patrick.calders@ugent.be) or prof. Wim Van Biesen (wim.vanbiesen@ugent.be).