Phd student - project Epigenetic control of the dark side of regulatory T-cells in psoriasis | Radboud University Medical Centre

Regulatory T-cells (Treg) prevent autoimmune pathology by suppressing effector lymphocytes. In the immune mediated skin disease Psoriasis, the function of Treg is disturbed. Treg of psoriasis patient show reduced Treg stability as indicated by a decreased suppressive potential and an increased potential to produce inflammatory cytokines. This has led us to propose that Treg dysregulation in autoimmune psoriatic patients contributes to the perpetuation of the chronic inflammatory process. A fundamental understanding of this phenomenon and the degree to which these dysregulated psoriatic Treg propagate the inflammatory process are unknown.

In this 4 year PhD project, which is in collaboration with the departments of Dermatology and Genetics, we will study restoration of dysregulated psoriatic Treg in vitro using our cell culture pre-screening systems and in vivo using a humanized mouse model and importantly we will further unravel the epigenetic background of psoriatic Treg dysregulation.

Techniques that will be used are: cell isolation and culture, flowcytometry, in vivo experiments in immune deficient mice, immuno histochemistry/fluorescence, ELISA/Luminex and molecular techniques.

For this project, we are looking for an ambitious and motivated PhD student. This four-year project should lead to a PhD thesis.

Tasks and responsibilities

• You will be responsible for the planning, organization and the execution of the experiments
• You will communicate the results to the supervisors, present data on international meetings, and write scientific papers

Profile

• Masters degree in (Medical) Biology, Molecular Life Sciences, Technical Medicine or related discipline
• Experience with cell culture, flowcytometry and animal models
• An independent and well-structured working style, demanding high quality of your own work
• Well-developed social skills directed to work in a team, excellent interpersonal and communicative skills
• Strong motivation to succeed in scientific research
• Good presentation and scientific writing skills

Organization

Radboud University Medical Centre (RUMC) in Nijmegen is a leading academic centre for medical science, education and health care. Knowledge forms the heart of our organization, connecting research, education and patient care. Over 10,000 staff and 3,000 students are committed and ambitious to contribute to the future of health care and medical science. Driven by knowledge, empowered by people.

Department of Laboratory Medicine (Laboratory for Medical Immunology)

Research in the Laboratory for Medical Immunology, is embedded in both the Nijmegen Institute for Infection, Inflammation and Immunity (N4i: www.n4i.nl) and the Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences (NMCLS) www.ncmls.nl) that provide a challenging scientific environment. Our research focuses on defining new strategies for immunotherapy, and defining biomarkers to monitor immune status and treatment efficacy in autoimmunity and transplant patients.

Department of dermatology

Innovation is the mission of the department of Dermatology of the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre. In order to achieve this mission, research from bench to bedside has been structured within our department in connection with dedicated dermatological care and teaching. The department has a long-standing tradition in research towards the pathogenesis of psoriasis. A substantial know-how and infrastructure in the field of cell biology and immunology of the epidermis in health and disease was build-up. The department is also a supraregional centre for care and knowledge of the broad field of dermatology. The department participates among others in "The Nijmegen Institute for Infection, Inflammation and Immunity (N4i) and" Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences (NCMLS).

Comments and contact information

For additional information about this vacancy please contact Dr. Hans Koenen, academic staff member, senior scientist Αυτή η διεύθυνση Email προστατεύεται από τους αυτοματισμούς αποστολέων ανεπιθύμητων μηνυμάτων. Χρειάζεται να ενεργοποιήσετε τη JavaScript για να μπορέσετε να τη δείτε., +31 (0) 24 3615391. (Please use this email-address only for information. For application use the Apply button)