Are You a Researcher? Combine Patient Care With A PhD Trajectory Towards Predictors Of Successful Metabolic Bariatric Surgery.

Not everyone undergoing sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass achieves the same result. Approximately 20-30% of patients lose insufficient weight or show insufficient metabolic improvement. Why does one patient respond better to metabolic bariatric surgery than another? And can we predict that even before surgery? That is the central question of this doctoral trajectory, a joint research line of the Dutch Obesity Clinic (NOK) and Amsterdam UMC, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism. We are looking for a BIG-registered physician who wants to combine clinical work with doctoral research for four years.

What will you do?
Research - 16 hours per week

As a researcher, you will map out which preoperative factors are associated with weight loss and metabolic improvement after metabolic bariatric surgery. In doing so, you will focus on, among other things:

· inflammatory markers and insulin sensitivity;

· factors involved in glucose regulation;

· psychological characteristics and eating behavior;

· cardiorespiratory fitness.

You will work within the research group of Prof. Dr. Mireille Serlie, Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Amsterdam UMC and Yale University. Her group conducts translational research into obesity and focuses, among other things, on mechanisms contributing to insulin resistance and on the interaction between nutrition, metabolism, and the brain.

The research utilizes a large prospective cohort whose inclusion is almost complete. This allows you to quickly get started with the analysis of an extensive clinical and metabolic dataset. The goal is to better understand which factors predict the success of metabolic bariatric surgery and thereby ultimately contribute to a more personalized treatment of obesity.

As a physician at the NOK, you will supervise patients being treated with metabolic bariatric surgery or medication. In doing so, you will work closely with the coaches and other members of the multidisciplinary treatment team. You are responsible, among other things, for medical check-ups, the assessment of treatment results, and medical supervision throughout the entire treatment process. Your clinical activities take place at our location in The Hague.

· You are a BIG-registered physician; both general practitioners and physicians with clinical experience are very welcome.

· You have an affinity with or interest in scientific research.

· You are interested in obesity, metabolic health, and the question of why patients respond differently to metabolic bariatric surgery.

· You can work independently and switch easily between clinical practice and research.

· You are analytical, curious, and motivated to further develop yourself as a physician-researcher.

·        An employment contract at the NOK for the duration of the four-year research project, with the possibility of extension

·        An appointment of 40 hours per week: 24 hours clinical work and 16 hours research

·        Workplaces in The Hague, Gouda, and Amsterdam

·        Salary in accordance with CAO ZKN: FWG 65 for your duties as a physician, FWG 45 for your duties as a researcher, with scaling based on knowledge and experience

·        Scientific supervision from the research group of Prof. Dr. Mireille Serlie (Amsterdam UMC) and from the NOK (Dr. Valerie Monpellier) and Ronald Liem.

·        Collaboration with other PhD candidates and researchers within NOK and Amsterdam UMC

·        A fixed 13th month and access to the training offerings via the NOK Academy

The Dutch Obesity Clinic (NOK) is the largest and most specialized independent clinic in the Netherlands for the treatment of people with overweight and obesity. For more than 30 years, we have been treating patients, now at 11 locations. We offer both metabolic bariatric surgery and medicinal treatment, always in combination with lifestyle coaching and within multidisciplinary teams.

The research group of Prof. Dr. Mireille Serlie is part of the AGEM (Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism) research institute of Amsterdam UMC. Within AGEM, basic and clinical research is conducted into gastrointestinal, endocrine, and metabolic disorders.

Become enthusiastic?

Do you have questions about this position? Please contact Dr. Valerie Monpellier, research coordinator, via vmonpellier@obesitaskliniek.nl.

or apply directly by uploading your CV and motivation letter addressed to our HR advisor Dominique de Nooij.