PhD Funded Position in Virus-Glycan Interactions at Utrecht University

Utrecht University is inviting applications for a PhD Position in Virus-Glycan Interactions in the Faculty of Science, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. This fully salaried PhD opportunity focuses on an important question in influenza research: how Influenza A viruses recognise, bind and adapt to glycan receptors in different hosts and tissues.

The project combines glycoscience, molecular biology, virology, enzymology and biochemical analysis to investigate the molecular basis of influenza receptor specificity. The successful PhD candidate will work with glycan arrays, engineered glycans, influenza receptor-binding assays and complementary molecular and biochemical techniques.

The research aims not only to improve fundamental understanding of influenza evolution and host specificity but also to support pandemic preparedness and antiviral research by developing more physiologically relevant glycan-based receptor models.

The position is offered by Utrecht University in the Netherlands, with a working commitment of 36 to 40 hours per week. Candidates should be able to start in 2027, and the application deadline is 25 September 2026.

PhD Position in Virus-Glycan Interactions — Key Details

Detail	Information
Position	PhD Position in Virus-Glycan Interactions
University	Utrecht University
Faculty	Faculty of Science
Department	Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Research area	Virology, Glycoscience, Molecular Biology, Chemical Biology
Project focus	Influenza A virus–glycan interactions
Working hours	36–40 hours per week
Contract	18 months initially, extendable to 4 years after successful assessment
Expected start	2027
Salary	€3,204 gross/month in year 1, rising to €4,051 in year 4
Salary scale	Scale P, CAO NU
Holiday allowance	8%
Year-end bonus	8.3%
Degree requirement	Master’s degree in a relevant field
Application deadline	25 September 2026

About the Virus-Glycan PhD Project

Influenza A viruses rely on interactions with molecules on the surface of host cells to initiate infection. Among the most important of these are glycans, complex carbohydrate structures that can act as receptors for viral attachment.

However, influenza viruses do not interact with all glycans equally. Changes in viral proteins can alter receptor preference, while differences in glycan structures between tissues and host species can influence where viruses attach and how effectively they establish infection.

This PhD project will investigate these interactions at the molecular level.

The researcher will study how Influenza A viruses interact with complex glycans and how receptor binding changes across viral strains and host species. By combining experimental glycan tools with virological and biochemical approaches, the project aims to identify the glycan features that determine influenza attachment and tissue tropism.

What Will You Research?

The PhD candidate will investigate the relationship between influenza viruses and their glycan receptors.

A central objective is to understand how receptor binding evolves and how specific glycan characteristics influence influenza attachment. The project is particularly interested in interactions that can help explain differences in viral host and tissue specificity.

Depending on the candidate’s background and interests, the research may involve several complementary areas.

Influenza Receptor-Binding Assays

One part of the project involves molecular and cell-based assays designed to measure influenza receptor binding.

Candidates may work with techniques such as:

• ELISA-based receptor-binding assays
• Microscopy
• FACS
• Glycan arrays
• Other molecular or cell-based binding approaches

These experiments can help determine which glycan structures are recognised by particular influenza viruses and how receptor preferences differ between viral strains.

Glycan Modification and Biosynthesis

The project will also involve the enzymatic modification or biosynthesis of glycans.

Glycans are structurally diverse, and subtle changes in their composition or arrangement can influence molecular recognition. Generating well-defined glycan structures therefore provides a powerful way to investigate which molecular features are important for influenza binding.

Depending on expertise, the PhD researcher may use enzymology and glycan synthesis approaches to create or modify receptor structures for experimental analysis.

Biochemical Characterisation

Another component involves the biochemical characterisation of virus–glycan interactions.

Combining biochemical measurements with molecular and glycan-based approaches can provide a more detailed picture of receptor recognition. The resulting data can then be integrated to understand how viral receptor specificity changes across strains and hosts.

What Are Glycans and Why Do They Matter for Influenza?

Glycans are carbohydrate structures found on proteins, lipids and cell surfaces. They participate in numerous biological processes, including cell recognition, signalling and interactions between pathogens and host cells.

For influenza research, glycans are particularly important because viral surface proteins can recognise specific carbohydrate structures on host cells.

The exact structure of these receptors can vary between tissues and species. Consequently, understanding influenza–glycan interactions can help researchers investigate why some viruses preferentially interact with particular hosts or respiratory tissues.

This makes glycoscience an important part of understanding influenza host specificity, tissue tropism and viral adaptation.

Research Tools and Experimental Approaches

The project is deliberately interdisciplinary. Rather than relying on a single experimental method, the PhD candidate will combine several complementary approaches.

Glycan Arrays

Glycan arrays can provide a systematic way to examine viral binding across many different carbohydrate structures.

They can help researchers identify patterns in receptor recognition and compare the binding preferences of different influenza viruses.

Engineered Glycans

The project will also use engineered or specifically modified glycans to investigate which structural features are responsible for receptor recognition.

This can help move beyond simply identifying whether a virus binds a receptor and toward understanding why a particular glycan structure is recognised.

Molecular Biology

Molecular biology approaches will support the study of influenza receptor binding and viral proteins. Candidates with molecular or cell biology experience will be able to apply these skills to a virology-focused research problem.

Enzymology

Enzymatic approaches can be used to modify or generate glycan structures with specific characteristics.

This makes enzymology particularly relevant for candidates interested in combining biochemical tools with glycoscience.

Biochemical Assays

Biochemical experiments will provide additional information about the interaction between viral components and glycan receptors.

The project therefore provides an opportunity to develop experience across multiple experimental disciplines rather than remaining within a single methodological area.

Scientific Impact of the Project

The research has both fundamental and applied significance.

At the fundamental level, the project aims to clarify how Influenza A viruses adapt their receptor binding across hosts and tissues. Understanding this process can provide new insight into influenza evolution and viral host specificity.

The project also has implications for pandemic preparedness.

More physiologically relevant glycan-based receptor models could help researchers better evaluate how influenza viruses interact with receptors found in airway tissues. These models may ultimately contribute to research related to pandemic risk assessment and antiviral strategies.

A Multidisciplinary Research Environment

The PhD candidate will join the Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery research division within the Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS).

The division brings together researchers with expertise in areas including:

• Carbohydrate chemistry
• Chemical biology
• Bacteriology
• Virology
• Immunology
• Molecular biology
• Glycoscience

This interdisciplinary structure is particularly relevant to the project because understanding virus–glycan interactions requires expertise that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries.

Utrecht University states that chemistry and molecular biology PhD candidates in the division often collaborate to address biological questions using complementary expertise.

Research Team and Robert de Vries

The position is located in the team of Dr Robert de Vries, whose research focuses on how Influenza A viruses interact with glycans and evolve receptor specificity across hosts.

According to his Utrecht University profile, de Vries is an Associate Professor in Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery and leads an interdisciplinary research programme integrating virology, glycobiology, structural biology and chemical biology. His research examines the molecular recognition occurring at the virus–glycan interface and how this relates to viral evolution and immune escape.

His research programme has used approaches including chemo-enzymatic glycan synthesis, glycan arrays, tissue-binding assays and structural approaches to investigate influenza receptor usage.

The group’s recent research activity also includes work on influenza receptor landscapes, glycan receptor specificity and the molecular determinants of influenza adaptation.

Robert de Vries — Utrecht University research profile

Candidate Profile and Eligibility

Utrecht University is looking for a candidate who can start the PhD project in 2027 and has a strong interest in virus–host interactions.

Applicants should have completed a Master’s degree in one of the following fields or a closely related discipline:

• Molecular Biology
• Biochemistry
• Chemical Biology
• Glycoscience
• Virology
• Another relevant scientific field

The university particularly welcomes candidates who are enthusiastic about combining their existing expertise with new approaches in virus–glycan research.

Relevant Laboratory Experience

Applicants should have hands-on experience in at least one relevant experimental area.

Examples include:

• Molecular biology
• Cell biology
• Biochemical assays
• Enzymatic assays
• Glycan analysis
• Protein analysis
• Virology
• Receptor-binding experiments

Experience with influenza, glycans or receptor-binding assays is valuable but is not presented as an absolute requirement for every applicant.

The vacancy specifically mentions experience with techniques such as ELISA, microscopy, FACS and arrays as relevant examples.

This means the position may be suitable for candidates who have a strong background in one area and are interested in developing interdisciplinary expertise during their PhD.

English Communication Skills

Strong English communication skills are required.

The successful candidate should be able to communicate scientific ideas clearly in both written and spoken English. This is important in an interdisciplinary research environment where researchers from different scientific backgrounds work together.

Communication skills will also be relevant for scientific presentations, research discussions, publications and collaboration with external research partners.

Salary and PhD Employment Benefits

This is a salaried PhD position, rather than an unpaid doctoral opportunity.

The contract is initially offered for 18 months. Following a successful assessment during the first 18 months, the appointment can be extended to a total of four years.

The gross monthly salary starts at:

• €3,204 in the first year
• Increasing annually
• Up to €4,051 in the fourth year

The salary is based on full-time employment and follows salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU).

Additional benefits include:

• 8% holiday pay
• 8.3% year-end bonus
• Pension scheme
• Partially paid parental leave
• Flexible employment conditions
• Professional development opportunities
• Various types of leave
• Sports and cultural activities
• Terms of Employment Options Model

These benefits are part of Utrecht University’s employment framework for academic staff.

Why Apply for This PhD at Utrecht University?

This position could be particularly attractive to graduates who want to build a research career at the intersection of virology, glycoscience and chemical biology.

Rather than focusing exclusively on one technique, the project brings together molecular biology, glycan engineering, biochemical analysis and receptor-binding experiments.

It also addresses a scientifically important question: how does influenza virus receptor recognition change as viruses adapt to different hosts and tissues?

For candidates interested in infectious disease research, the project provides the opportunity to work on a problem with relevance to both basic science and pandemic preparedness.

The interdisciplinary environment can also help researchers develop a broad experimental toolkit that could be valuable for future careers in academia, biotechnology, pharmaceutical research or infectious disease research.

Utrecht University and the Faculty of Science

The PhD position is based in the Faculty of Science at Utrecht University.

The Faculty of Science includes six departments:

• Biology
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Information and Computing Sciences
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Mathematics

The faculty brings together researchers working across a broad range of scientific disciplines and provides an environment where interdisciplinary research is an important part of the university’s research strategy.

The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences conducts its research within the Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS).

For this PhD, the connection between pharmaceutical sciences, chemical biology, glycoscience and virology provides a particularly strong setting for investigating virus–host molecular interactions.

Application Requirements

Applicants should apply through Utrecht University’s online application system.

The university asks applicants to submit the following documents:

1. Motivation Letter

Your motivation letter should explain why you are interested in the PhD project and how your academic and laboratory background fits the research topic.

A strong letter should connect your previous experience with the project’s focus on influenza, glycans, receptor recognition and virus–host interactions.

2. Curriculum Vitae

Your CV should clearly present your education, research experience, laboratory skills, publications or other relevant academic achievements.

Candidates should highlight experience that demonstrates their ability to work with molecular, cellular, biochemical or glycan-related techniques.

3. Details of at Least Two References

Applicants must provide the names, telephone numbers and email addresses of at least two references.

The vacancy does not ask applicants to submit reference letters at the initial application stage. Instead, the university requests referee contact details.

Application Deadline

The application deadline for the PhD Position in Virus-Glycan Interactions at Utrecht University is 25 September 2026. Candidates should not wait until the final day if they need time to prepare their motivation letter, update their CV or confirm referee details. The university specifically indicates that applicants should apply through the Apply now

Important Information for Applicants

Utrecht University states that knowledge-security screening can form part of the selection procedure for academic staff. The purpose is, among other things, to help prevent unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology.

The university also highlights its commitment to an inclusive working environment and welcomes colleagues with different backgrounds, perspectives and identities.

Applicants with questions about the research should contact Robert de Vries at r.vries@uu.nl.

Questions about the application procedure can be directed to science.recruitment@uu.nl.

APPLY NOW

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PhD Position in Virus-Glycan Interactions?

It is a PhD research position at Utrecht University investigating how Influenza A viruses recognise and adapt to glycan receptors across different hosts and tissues.

Where is the PhD position located?

The position is based at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, within the Faculty of Science and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

What is the main research topic?

The main topic is the interaction between Influenza A viruses and host glycans, with a focus on receptor specificity, viral adaptation and tissue tropism.

What techniques will be used?

The project may involve glycan arrays, engineered glycans, influenza receptor-binding assays, molecular biology, enzymology and biochemical assays. Specific methods will depend partly on the candidate’s background and interests.

What degree is required?

Applicants should have a completed Master’s degree in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Glycoscience, Virology or a related field.

Is previous influenza research required?

The vacancy welcomes candidates with experience in influenza, glycans or receptor-binding assays, but it also explicitly welcomes relevant backgrounds in areas such as molecular biology, biochemistry and enzymology.

How long is the PhD contract?

The position starts with an 18-month appointment. Following a successful assessment, it can be extended to a total of four years.

What is the PhD salary?

The gross monthly salary starts at €3,204 in the first year and increases annually to €4,051 in the fourth year, based on full-time employment and salary scale P under the CAO NU.

What is the application deadline?

The deadline is 25 September 2026.

When does the PhD start?

The successful candidate should be able to start in 2027.

Are reference letters required?

No reference letters are requested with the initial application. Applicants should provide the names, telephone numbers and email addresses of at least two references.