15 PhD positions in the field of endocrine disruptor assessment

Applications now open for 15 PhD positions in the field of endocrine disruptor assessment. Last-year Master students are encouraged to apply.

About NeXED

NeXED is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network, funded by the European Union (Horizon Europe). NeXED started in January 2025 and will run until December 2028.

NeXED brings together 10 partners and 10 associated partners from 10 countries, all leading experts in the assessment of endocrine disruptors. We will train a new generation of true cross-disciplinary toxicologists specialized in both human and environmental risk assessment of endocrine disruptors, no longer approaching assessment of chemicals from either a human or an environmental health perspective separately.

Traditionally, regulatory procedures for identification and assessment of EDCs are separated for human health and the environment. Due to the similarities in toxicological responses between humans and wildlife, we believe we can share toxicological information between these two disciplines.

NeXED will address three critical challenges:

1. Human and environmental EDC assessment have historically been separate disciplines while there is an increasing need to combine data across species in a One Health approach.
2. EDC assessment currently addresses single compounds while in an environmentally realistic scenario organisms are faced with complex mixtures of EDCs. 
3. New test methods and approaches for EDC assessment are needed, covering less well-characterised mechanisms and effects.

NeXED will train its 15 doctoral candidates through research, secondments and training events using an interdisciplinary and intersectoral training programme.

NeXED specific job descriptions

• DC 1: Endocrine disruption of zebrafish brain and sensory organ development - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (the Netherlands)
• DC 2: Improved NAM-based testing of ED-mediated reproductive toxicity - Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (Denmark)
• DC 3: A cross-species approach to assessing impaired neurological function caused by endocrine disruptors - University of Antwerp (Belgium)
• DC 4: Next generation regulatory assessment and identification of endocrine disrupting chemicals - Karolinska Institutet (Sweden)
• DC 5: Species differences in physiology and sensitivity to thyroid hormone system disrupting chemicals - Watchfrog (France)
• DC 6: Endocrine and neurodevelopmental disrupting potential of relevant human exposure mixtures - Masarykova univerzita (Czechia)
• DC 7: From EATS exposome to EATS effectome – fish as vertebrate model - Syddansk Universitet (Denmark)
• DC 8: AOP network-based assessment of interactions among endocrine axes in environmental PFAS mixtures - University of Antwerp (Belgium)
• DC 9: Exposomics and metabolomics in zebrafish embryos for complex exposure scenarios - University of Antwerp (Belgium)
• DC 10: Novel approaches to assess the impact of EDCs in the adult nervous system - Università degli Studi di Milano (Italy)
• DC 11: Exploring nuclear receptor cross-talk in aquatic molluscs and how it translates to vertebrates - Syddansk Universitet (Denmark)
• DC 12: Development of a zebrafish metabolome atlas and bridging to EDC exposure - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (the Netherlands)
• DC 13: Central integration of peripheral endocrine signals - Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France)
• DC 14: Disruption of thyroid hormone transport to the brain in organoid models, zebrafish, and humans - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (the Netherlands)
• DC 15: Explore the link between food, metabolic state and endocrine signalling across aquatic taxa - Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (United Kingdom)

NeXED is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme, under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (Grant Agreement number 101168892).