PhD student Marie Curie doctoral fellowship on regeneration

The goal of the project is to establish cellular dynamics during the process of regeneration in the flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea. This animal has a remarkable ability to regenerate following nearly any type of injury, conferred by adult stem cells, called neoblasts. In previous research, we demonstrated that redox molecules are essential elements in modulating and launching regenerative processes. The current project proceeds on these findings and aims to answer existing research gaps concerning the nature of the reactive oxygen species invoked, their site of production, concentration and spreading; and the downstream cellular signaling events involved in stem cell functioning and differentiation. The project will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the meticulously regulated cell fate decisions and how their imbalance leads to adverse responses. A cutting-edge research approach, using redox-sensitive nanocarriers, will be used to elucidate the reciprocal relationship between redox molecules and stem cells, with significant emphasis on mitochondria and glutathione as core components of redox homeostasis.

You are part of a large, interdisciplinary institute with a broad international and national network. You participate in the Doctoral School of Sciences & Technology. As a PhDstudent you will conduct research, write and publish scientific articles, participate in (inter)national conferences with the aim of writing a PhD dissertation.

Your research activities are situated in the research group of Zoology (Department of Biology) and the Center for Environmental Science (CMK), a multidisciplinary research institute. https:// www. uhasselt.be/cmk https: // www. bitelab.be/ This project is a part of the REGENERATE-IT Doctoral Network, funded by the Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Action (MSCA). The network brings together a full spectrum of disciplines – from fundamental to applied research – to train the next generation of researchers in regenerative biology and adjacent field. It is a consortium of high-profile researchers from various universities, research institutions, and companies spanning 12 academic institutions in 10 European countries (the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, and the UK). The competencies available in the REGENERATE-IT Network are further expanded by the involvement of one non-academic beneficiary, four industrial partner organisations, a patent attorney firm, a non-profit research organisation, a scientific publisher, a patient advocacy group, and Women Scientists network organisation. The REGENERATE-IT consortium offers 12 fully funded PhD positions to work with leading European researchers to advance the frontiers of regenerative biology and medicine. More information about all projects is available on the project website www. regenerate-it.eu.

You will be appointed and paid as PhD student. You will be appointed for 2x2 years (after positive evaluation).

The selection procedure consists of a preselection based on application file and an interview.

Apply now Apply up to 13.04.2023