Département de Biologie
Unité de Recherches en Biologie
Environnementale et Evolutive
Prof. P. Kestemont, Directeur URBE
Rue de Bruxelles, 61
B-5000, Namur, Belgium
Tél. +32 (0)81 72.43.63
Fax +32 (0)81 72.43.62
E-mail patrick.kestemont @fundp.ac.be
Post-doc position in fish ecotoxicology/fish immunology
University of Namur, Belgium
 Institution : University of Namur, Department of Biology, Research Unit in Environmental and
Evolutionary Biology (URBE), Rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium
 Promotor : Prof. Dr Patrick Kestemont, Director of URBE
 Field of expertise : fish ecotoxicology/fish immunology
 Project framework: Interuniversity project Aquastress – Aquatic systems under multiple stress: a
new paradigm integrating aquaculture and ecotoxicology research
 Duration: 21 months
 Starting date: 1st of January 2016
Aquastress project description:
The primary scientific objective of the interuniversity project Aquastress is to investigate multiple
stress in aquatic systems across multiple levels of biological organization and to verify to what extent
multiple stress effects occurring at higher levels of organization can be predicted/explained based on
observations of effects occurring at lower levels. Two research disciplines in which the impact of
stressors on aquatic biota are of critical importance are aquaculture (i.e. sustainable production of
healthy and safe aquatic food for human consumption) and ecotoxicology (i.e. the study of the
effects of toxicants on biological organisms, especially at the population, community, ecosystem
level). The current project proposal aims at integrating complimentary expertise (especially with
regard to research tools and methodologies) between top-class research teams in aquaculture
(Universities of Gent, Namur in Belgium and Barcelona in Spain) and in ecotoxicology (Universities of
Gent, Antwerpen, Leuven, Louvain, Namur in Belgium and Wageningen in The Netherlands).
The different partners and workpackages of the Aquastress project are described at the following
website: https://sites.google.com/site/aquastressproject/home
Post-doc responsibility
The post-doc scientist will conduct his/her research in the framework of several workpackages (4,5 ,
6, 7, 10) of the Aquastress project, dealing with fish ecotoxicology (combined effects of temperature
and chemicals within one or several generations of zebrafish) including physiological and molecular
(epigenetic) aspects of fish responses to the different stressors or with fish immunology (interactions
between nutritional status of rainbow trout and chemical stress, including responses of fish to
bacterial challenge). The research will depend on the expertise of the selected candidate.
Aside the research activity, he/she will be responsible to supervise the research conducted by
master students involved in the Aquastress project. He/she will be also involved in the management
of the project for the University of Namur, including the preparation of progress report and
participation to project meetings.
Post-doc candidate motivation and qualifications
The candidate must be highly motivated to conduct a scientific research in fish using physiological
and molecular techniques, within the framework of an interuniversity network with regular
exchanges with partners from other Belgian universities.
Applicants must have a PhD degree in biology or related sciences, excellent academic scores and
experience and habilitation to perform animal studies. Ability to write scientific report, as proved by
a high of international peer-reviewed publications, is required. Good skills in English language
(spoken and written) and the ability to do independent scientific work as a part of the international
research group are essential.
Salary: The salary is determined in accordance with the university salary system for teaching and
research personnel. For postdoctoral fellow, the net salary is about 2,200-2,300 €/month.
In accordance with the University of Namur equal opportunities policy, we invite applications from
all interested individuals regardless of gender or ethnicity.
For more information contact
Prof. Dr Patrick Kestemont (patrick.kestemont@unamur.be)
Application should be submitted before the 15th of October 2015. Applications should include CV,
publication list and a copy of degree certificates.