Professor in Oral Biology

Professor in Oral Biology

(ref. ZAP-2022-132)

Last modification : Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Being a top performer in scientific research, university education and patient care is the main mission of KU Leuven and UZ Leuven . In Belgium and Europe, we play a leading role which we want to maintain and further expand. More than 12,000 passionate employees in KU Leuven and more than 10,000 employees in UZ Leuven combine their expertise every day. Since 2016 KU Leuven leads the Reuters' list of most innovative universities in Europe. UZ Leuven was ranked 45th on the list of the 250 best hospitals in the world by the American magazine Newsweek. KU Leuven Dentistry holds the 11th position in the QS World University Rankings and is currently ranked 14th in the worldwide Shanghai Academic Ranking, being the 4th European dental school. The DEPARTMENT OF ORAL HEALTH SCIENCES (OHS) of the Biomedical Sciences Group of KU Leuven is active in different research domains related to oral health. The research conducted within OHS includes fundamental biological and materials laboratory research, as well as applied clinical and epidemiologic population research. OHS has 4 research groups: Biomaterials - BIOMAT, Periodontology & Oral Microbiology (P&OM), Orthodontics, and Population Studies in Oral Health (PSiOH). These research groups perform research in respectively (bio-)materials (including biocompatibility research), periodontology and oral microbiology, orthodontics and oral health research in different societal population groups (including gerodontology). To conduct research OHS has high-end research infrastructure at its disposal, can call upon a broad interdisciplinary research collaboration, an extended international network, excellent relations with companies and non-profit organizations, a stable influx of talented doctoral students and a stimulating working environment.

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Duties Research

Your primary focus is SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH in ORAL BIOLOGY.

Your will establish an INDEPENDENT research program in ORAL BIOLOGY, supporting and complementary to the existing research lines, such as: vital pulpa-capping therapy investigated with a vital pulpa/tooth model (‘organoid'), tooth-pulpa regeneration, biocompatibility of dental (bio)materials, osseointegration and soft-tissue integration of dental zirconia ceramics by means of 3D-cell cultures (‘organoid'), dental zirconia ceramics with anti-bacterial surface modifications to prevent peri-implantitis, microbiological ecology, pre- and probiotics, mechanistic research into the biological processes of orthodontic tooth displacement, …

You will acquire COMPETITIVE (KU Leuven internal, national and European) RESEARCH FUNDING for financing research mandates (doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, lab-technicians), research projects and new research infrastructure.

You will commit to joint and INTERDISCIPLINARY research project applications.

You will start up RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS within OHS, with research groups of other departments of the Biomedical Sciences Group and of the Group of Sciences and Technology , and with domestic and foreign renowned research institutions in the scientific domain of (oral) biology.

You will supervise (international) DOCTORAL STUDENTS as well as other researchers (postdocs) and master-thesis students.

You will produce RESEARCH OUTPUT by publishing in international peer- reviewed journals and international text books.

Education

You will enthusiastically take on teaching assignments within the DENTAL EDUCATION programs at KU Leuven with a clear commitment to preserve the quality of the entire curriculum. You will also contribute to the university's pedagogical project and the dentistry training program by supervising master dissertations and serving as promoter of PhD students.

You will develop your teaching activity according to the vision of KU Leuven on ACTIVATING and RESEARCH-BASED EDUCATION and you will use the support and tools for educational professionalization offered by the Faculty of Medicine and the University.

Possible teaching assignments are related to your research expertise in oral biology, for example teaching BASIC SCIENTIFIC BIOLOGICAL COURSE MODULES for dentists, BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF BIOMEDICAL AND DENTAL COURSE MODULES and/or general course modules related to SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION OF DENTAL STUDENTS (scientific thinking and reasoning, scientific questioning and reporting, master thesis, etc.).

Service

You will ADVISE and SUPPORT (pre-)clinical research projects in collaboration with the researchers, postdoctoral research fellows and PhD students of OHS, based on your research expertise in oral biology.

You are willing to actively participate in one on more working groups and commissions within OHS and the Biomedical Sciences Group.

After your intake period, you will take on representational functions in external organizations (councils, committees, functions in editorial boards of scientific organizations, …).

Profile

You have a DOCTORAL DEGREE in (ORAL) BIOLOGY or any other scientific domain with an expertise profile that forms a good basis for research in oral biology and broader in the domain of ORAL HEALTH SCIENCES, such as biomedical sciences, bioengineering, pharmacology, medicine, dentistry, … .

You have POSTDOCTORAL EXPERIENCE with broad and profound independent expertise in (ORAL) BIOLOGY and you are willing to apply this knowledge to the different oral processes.

You can present an OUTSTANDING INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH TRACK RECORD, in which the research quality is shown by publications in (top)journals and books, and by acquired research projects. International research expertise is a plus.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE is also considered a plus.

You have organizational skills and a cooperative attitude.

Proficiency in ENGLISH is reguired. The official administrative language used at KU Leuven is DUTCH. If you do not speak Dutch (or do not speak it well) at the start of employment, KU Leuven will provide language training to enable you to take part in meetings. Before teaching courses in Dutch or English, you will be given the opportunity to learn Dutch, respectively English, to the required standard.

Offer

We offer a FULLTIME EMPLOYMENT in an intellectually challenging environment that appreciates diversity, promotes an inclusive working environment and endorses the ALBA-statement of fairness and inclusion . KU Leuven is a research intensive, internationally oriented university that carries out fundamental and applied scientific research. It has an inter- and multidisciplinary focus and strives for international excellence. The university actively collaborates with domestic and foreign research partners. It offers students an academic education based on high-quality scientific research. KU Leuven RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT is a role model for knowledge- and technology transfer for many European universities.

Depending on your record and qualifications, you will be appointed in one of the positions belonging to the ACADEMIC STAFF: assistant professor, associate professor, professor or full professor. Young researchers are normally appointed for a period of 5 years as an assistant professor in a tenure track. After this period and a positive evaluation, they will be definitely appointed (or tenured) as an associate professor.

KU Leuven is well set to welcome foreign professors and their family and provides practical support with regard to immigration & administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, partner career coaching, … .

To facilitate scientific onboarding and accelerate research in the first phase a starting grant of 110.000 euro is offered to new professors without substantial other funding, appointed for at least 50%.

More information

KU Leuven UZ Leuven QS Worldwide University Ranking

Interested?

For more information, please contact Prof. Dr. Bart Van Meerbeek, Department Chair of the Department of Oral Health Sciences ([email protected]).

In case of problems with online applying, please contact [email protected]

KU Leuven places great importance on research integrity and ethical conduct and will therefore ask you to sign an integrity statement upon appointment.

LEUVEN is an attractive EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY CITY with a rich history and a lively atmosphere, for centuries a natural home for researchers and their families; the city was even awarded the title of European capital of innovation 2020 by the European Commission. English is very widely spoken in the city and its surroundings.

Leuven offers an affordable high standard of living, has an international school and sufficient affordable child daycare options. The public education system and public health care system in Flanders are world class, easily accessible, and at low-cost to end users. Public transport is also well organized and widely available.

BRUSSELS, the capital of Europe, is only 20 minutes away. Leuven is also only 14 minutes by train from Brussels Airport that has many daily direct flights to North America, Africa and Asia. There are also high-speed direct international rail connections to numerous cities including Paris, London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.

KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at [email protected]