We are offering a fully funded, four-year PhD position in a dynamic and interdisciplinary research environment at KU Leuven, one of Europe’s leading universities in biomedical research. The project unites different research units that operate at the intersection of nutrition, neuroscience, consumer and data analysis research aiming to investigate the effectiveness of various food labelling cues that influence decision-making at both the neurological and behavioural levels.
Description of the organizational unit
The candidate will join the Nutrition & Metabolism Associated Diseases research group (NMAD - Prof. Christophe Matthys), which aims to ‘optimize metabolic imbalances through nutrition'. In close collaboration, the Laboratory for Gut-Brain Axis Studies (LaBGAS – Prof Lukas Van Oudenhove) combines biochemical analyses with advanced neuroimaging (PET, fMRI) approaches to study gut-brain communication and its impact on food-related reward processes.
Together, these complementary teams create a unique, collaborative environment that combines clinical expertise, advanced imaging technology, and innovative behavioral science to advance personalized advice for an optimal dietary pattern.
Project
This PhD position is embedded in HSFood4ALL (Healthy and Sustainable Food for All), a project integrating consumer-level data (behaviour, health, socio-demographics) with product-level food data (nutritional quality, environmental impact, certifications). The overall aim is to improve evidence-based food choice communication and policy while uncovering potential neurological mechanisms influencing these choices.
Within HSFood4ALL, the research conducted by KU Leuven NMAD & LaBGAS in this project will mainly focus on:
(i) Consumer profiling for healthy food engagement;
(ii) Nutrition and health metrics for product differentiation and consumer engagement;
(iii) Neurobehavioural mechanisms underlying the impact of improved labelling on food choices
The PhD position addresses the three core themes of HSFood4All: healthy food choices, environmental sustainability, and voluntary sustainability standards. Therefore, the candidate will collaborate closely with several partners within the HSFood4ALL consortium, including research groups in bio-economics, consumer behaviour, artificial intelligence, food technology and sustainability from KU Leuven, ILVO and Artevelde University College of Applied Sciences.
The PhD candidate will be responsible for:
• Designing and developing the project’s experimental sub-studies in collaboration with consortium partners .
• preparing study documentation and ethical applications.
• Recruiting, informing and motivating study participants.
• the logistics of the project, including data collection, data management and data storage.
• the day-to-day management of the project.
• collecting, analyzing, and interpreting multimodal behavioral, clinical and neuroimaging data.
• reporting to the investigators and participate in team meetings.
• applying for additional funding.
• contributing to high-quality scientific publications and presenting findings at national and international conferences.
• contributing to research-related activities within the division.
• assisting in the supervision and mentoring of students or junior researchers.
Profile
We are looking for enthusiastic and highly motivated candidates with a Master’s degree; a degree in Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Psychology, Neurosciences, Behavioral Sciences, Bio-engineering, Pharmacy or a related discipline. Candidates with a strong interest in data analytics are particularly encouraged to apply.
For diplomas awarded outside the European Union, a certificate of equivalence (NARIC) must be submitted.
We are looking for someone with:
• Generic competences: dynamic; organizational skills; result-oriented; communicative; convincing; accurate; analytical; team-worker; independent; problem-solver
• An exploratory and curious scientific mindset:
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
• Plus points:
o knowledge of nutrition,
o experience with statistics,
o knowledge/ability to apply phlebotomy,
o prior experience with clinical data collection and analysis, including neuroimaging or behavioral data
• Languages: Dutch is strongly preferred, as the project involves extensive interaction with Dutch-speaking participants; English; French is an asset. If Dutch is not your native language, a minimum ERK level C1 is required. Applications that do not meet this requirement cannot be considered.
Offer
We offer an exciting opportunity to complete a PhD in an internationally recognized research environment at one of Europe’s leading universities. You will work with state-of-the-art neuroimaging facilities, collaborate within a multidisciplinary consortium and receive close supervision from experienced researchers in nutrition, neuroscience and behavioural science. We offer:
• A full-time, four-year PhD position.
• A competitive salary in line with KU Leuven’s guidelines for PhD candidates (https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/en/phd & https://gbiomed.kuleuven.be/english/phd).
• Extensive opportunities for professional development, including international conferences, publications and workshops.
• Access to a wide range of training, education and career development activities through Leuven International Doctoral School Biomedical Sciences https://gbiomed.kuleuven.be/english/phd) and YouReCa https://www.kuleuven.be/english/research/youreca/)
Interested?
You can apply for this job no later than August 13th 2026 via the online application tool, including:
1. A detailed CV highlighting relevant experience and skills.
2. A motivation letter (max. 2 pages) outlining your interest in the position and project.
3. Academic transcripts.
4. Names and contact details of two referees who may be contacted for a recommendation letter.
For more information please contact Prof. Dr. Christophe Matthys (
[email protected] - tel +32 16 34 26 55)
Interviews are scheduled for August 25, 26, 27.
Provisional start date: October 2026 (limited flexibility).
KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.
