Research technician at Experimental Cardiology

The Experimental Cardiology group at UMC Utrecht is seeking a research technician to produce, purify, and characterize engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) for cardiac gene therapy applications and evaluate their therapeutic potential in preclinical models. You will combine mammalian cell culture, EV manufacturing and purification, and molecular assays to support the development and evaluation of innovative gene therapies for cardiovascular diseases. You will take responsibility for your own experimental work while coordinating with colleagues to support shared research goals. You will also work with the team to improve experimental methods and contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches.

EV-manufacturing and purification

• Maintain mammalian cell cultures
• Perform large scale EV productions
• Apply purification techniques such as tangential flow filtration and chromatography.
• Characterize EVs for particle size, cargo, concentration, purity, and protein composition.
• Optimize EV manufacturing and purification workflows together with researchers and other technicians in the team.

Molecular biology and gene-editing analysis

• Perform DNA, RNA, and protein isolation from cells and biological samples.
• Evaluate gene-editing efficiency using sequencing-based methods.
• Conduct biochemical and cell-based assays, including Western blotting, flow cytometry, and fluorescence-based analyses.
• Experience with immune cell isolation and immunological assay would be considered a pre.
• Analyze, interpret and present experimental results.

Laboratory operations

• Independently plan, execute, and troubleshoot experiments, aligning priorities and timelines with the research team and communicating progress and challenges proactively.
• Maintain accurate experimental records and laboratory documentation.
• Contribute to protocol optimization and SOP development.
• Support laboratory maintenance, inventory management, and compliance with biosafety standards.