Post-doc: Clinical utility of occipical amyloid burden

About the projectThe project, supported by GE Healthcare, is a collaboration between Amsterdam UMC, GE Healthcare, and the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC). The intended start date is February 1, 2026.PET imaging enables the in vivo identification of amyloid-β (Aβ), the pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Traditionally, Aβ accumulation in sporadic AD follows a single spatial-temporal trajectory, with early involvement of the medial frontal and precuneal cortices. Recent studies, however, have identified three subtypes of Aβ accumulation, including an occipital subtype characterized by early and significant involvement of the occipital and basal temporal regions.This occipital subtype has been linked to a higher incidence of dementia, faster cognitive decline, and lower APOE ε4 carriership. Posterior Aβ burden also correlates with posterior vascular pathology, reflected by white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on MRI. Moreover, occipital amyloid has been associated with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), although findings remain inconsistent.These observations suggest distinct disease pathways depending on Aβ distribution, which may hold prognostic value. At the recent AAIC conference, Lilly reported that a relatively high occipital Aβ burden—compared to global Aβ burden—predicted the presence of ARIA in their Phase III Donanemab trial, a common side effect of amyloid-targeting therapies (ATT).Finally, the occipital region is not included in the current standard amyloid-PET quantification metric, the Centiloid scale. Incorporating occipital burden into visual and quantitative assessments could therefore provide additional diagnostic and prognostic insight.About the roleThis project focuses on validating the presence of occipital Aβ burden, developing the optimal approach for assessing amyloid-PET signal in this region, and determining its clinical utility. The specific aims are outlined below. Are you the multidisciplinary postdoc who will support us in this clinically relevant and innovative project?ProfileWe are looking for an enthusiastic and ambitious researcher with a strong interest in working in a multidisciplinary, clinically focused field, who already resides in the Netherlands or is willing to relocate. In addition, you have:A PhD degree in Neuroscience or a related field;Experience with PET imaging;Experience in neuroimaging processing, analysis, and visual assessment;Strong programming skills (e.g., R);Experience with advanced statistical analyses;An affinity for Alzheimer's disease and/or neurodegeneration;Excellent communication skills in English, both written and spoken.Our offerA flying start to your career in scientific research.Plenty of room for your drive to shape tomorrow's healthcare.Working on large-scale and in-house research, with motivated colleagues from all over the world.You will be employed by Amsterdam UMC Research BV.A contract for 18 months.Salary scale 10: € 3.598 to € 5.669 gross based on full-time employment (depending on education and experience) and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. Calculate your net salary here.Holiday hours: 190.4 per year for fulltime and a possibility to save additional hours.Pension accrual with BeFrank, a modern, comprehensible and fairly priced pension.For >7 km each way, 100% reimbursement for public transport travel costs and, for private transport, €0.18 per km up to a maximum of 40 km each way.Do you prefer walking or cycling? Take advantage of our good bike scheme. Moreover, you will receive a reimbursement of €0.18 per km.Watch this video with more information about joining Amsterdam UMC Research BV.About the workplaceThe Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine conducts high-quality, multidisciplinary research on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Frederik Barkhof, neuroradiologist, and Dr. Lyduine Collij, neuroscientist and Dr. Elsmarieke van den Giessen, nuclear physician. We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher to support our efforts in understanding the clinical utility of the amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) signal in the occipital lobe.Amsterdam UMC Research BV supports non-profit scientific research. In doing so, we provide researchers with everything they need to excel. Our principal investigators (PIs) and project leaders offer support in the field of project management, finance and human resources. In medical scientific research projects, legal support is also provided.Watch the video to find out more.Let's meetDuring the publication period, applications will be handled continuously. If the vacancy is filled, it will be closed prematurely.If you have any questions about this position, please feel free to contact Dr. Lyduine Collij, neuroscientist, at For more information about the application procedure, please contact Chey Edwards, recruitment advisor, at A reference check, screening and hiring test may be part of the procedure. Read here whether that applies to you. If you join us, we ask you for a VOG (Certificate of Good Conduct).Internal candidates will be given priority over external candidates in case of equal suitability.Acquisition in response to this vacancy will not be considered.