SmartAge ESR project 7
Host Organization: CROmed Research, Hungary
Potential Secondments: Karolinska Institute / Girona Biomedical Research Center
CROmed Research, Hungary, (head of project: Dr. Domokos Máthé) offers a PhD position for an Early-Stage Researcher (ESR) for the project: Microbiota-gut-brain axis: Inflammatory and immune markers during aging and following interventions. The position is part of the EU-funded Innovative Training Network SmartAge (“Gut-brain-axis: Targets for improvement of cognition in the elderly”) with full-time employment for a duration of 3 years, starting in March 2021.
Objective of the project: Chronic systemic inflammation (inflammaging) impacts the gut-brain communication. Special validated activated microglia cell (M2) imaging tracers will be applied to analyse inflammatory/immune markers in vivo in a longitudinal fashion in the brain, to track M2s (123/125I-CLINDE and CLINME) coupled to brain perfusion readings. Inflammatory status in the colon will be monitored with validated SPECT tracers of peroral 99mTc- labelled carbon particles. Longitudinal measurements during aging will be done at three different time points in mice. For humans, the blood will be analysed. Following intervention (physical activity, oat β-glucans or metformin) we will test whether the inflammatory load in aged animals/elderly could be alleviated. Individual mice and humans, which have improved most in the cognitive tests and will be examined. If fecal transfer in mice reveals a positive impact on cognition, selected mice brains (again with a significant effect in improving cognition) will be analysed. On a subset of mice (aging and following interventions), the role of microvesicles in neuro-inflammation will be assessed, with a special microvesicle separation device available at CROmed. Distribution of blood microvesicles will be described as a spectrum of abundance vs hydrodynamic microvesicle size and spectral changes due to alterations in gut microflora, aging, and inflammation. The siRNA content will be investigated using qPCR. SPECT / MRI scans will be evaluated on aged mice and following intervention to assess morphological brain markers with respect to aging/cognition.
The PhD student will join a dynamic, research oriented enterprise, which combines expertise in imaging science, physics, radiochemistry, immunology and preclinical imaging to address biological questions with imaging tools. Through the possible use of a 3Tesla new PET/MRI system with synchronous capacity of PET and MRI measurements cutting edge research will be possible.
Requirements for the applicant: We expect a Master´s degree (or equivalent) in Life Sciences or Medicine. Furthermore, the applicant should be able to perform team-oriented as well as independent work. Desirable methodological skills: background in molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, immunohistochemical analyses and imaging.
Very good language skills in English are required.
Please note the eligibility criteria for researchers: Candidates must be in the first four years of his/her research career, not have a doctoral degree, and not have resided in Hungary for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date.
Selection process: Interested candidates please send a motivation letter, a CV including publications (if available), copies of university degrees and courses (including obtained grades), and the names and e-mail addresses of two scientists who can provide references (all summarized in one pdf) to Preferential treatment will be given to applications received before 30 November 2020.
For more information concerning the research project please contact Dr. Domokos Máthé (email: )