PhD student in experimental research of Alzheimer’s Disease - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

About the research group

The research group Clinical Memory Research conducts research on dementia and has been at the forefront in this area for many years. The group is led by Professor Oskar Hansson and consists of both research and technical staff. More information can be found at: https://biofinder.se. The research is located at the Memory Clinic in Malmö, BMC in Lund and at Wallenberg Lab in Malmö.

We cherish a good work environment, where we treat each other with respect and consideration, and we strive for a workplace that is perceived as educational and stimulating for all employees. We work constantly to raise job satisfaction, development and participation for all employees. We care about both physical safety and the organizational and social work environment.

We are now looking for a doctoral student for our doctoral project “Islet amyloid polypeptide, a link between Alzheimers disease and type 2 diabetes”. The doctoral student will conduct research at Wallenberg Lab in Malmö under the supervision of Malin Wennström. The employment is full-time and starts in January 2022 or according to agreement

Project description

Studies suggest that Islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP), an amyloid peptide secreted by the pancreas along with insulin, may play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In its biologically active form, the peptide is important for brain function, but lifestyle and environmental factors can alter IAPP so that it loses its biological function, aggregates, and forms toxic plaques. Such plaques are often found in peripheral organs of type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients but have also been found in the brain vessel walls in AD patients. We have shown that aggregated IAPP is highly toxic to the pericytes in the brain. These cells are important for the function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) ​​and the clearance of neurotoxins such as Aß (peptide that accumulates in AD). As patients with AD have been shown to have fewer pericytes in the brain, we have asked ourselves- Can IAPP, through its toxic effect on pericytes, partly explain why T2D has an increased risk of developing AD? The current project intends to further investigate this hypothesis by studying IAPP related to AD pathology in human biological material (brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid and plasma) and IAPP-induced vasculopathy using cell culture models.

Work description

The main duties of the doctoral candidate are to conduct their research studies which include participation in research projects and graduate courses. The project will include the development and usage of methods analyzing IAPP autoantibodies in cerebrospinal fluid, brain and plasma as well as cell culture models that can be used for experimental IAPP studies. Other assignments within the research group may also occur.

Qualifications

The following are required for the position:

• Master's degree in Neurobiology or a related subject 
• Experience in protein assays, e.g. ELISA
• Experience in working with cell cultures
• High proficiency in English, in speech and writing

Special emphasis will be placed on personal qualities. We are looking for a person how is communicative, organized, passionate about the research area and is interested in writing.

The following are considered to be a merit:

• Knowledge of mechansims implicated in dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes
• Knowledge of Islet amyloid polypeptide
• Knowledge of autoimmunity

Eligibility
Students with basic eligibility for third-cycle studies are those who: have completed a second-cycle degree, have completed courses of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are from second-cycle courses, or have acquired largely equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad.

Basis of assessment
The employment of doctoral students is regulated in the Swedish Code of Statues 1998: 80. Only those who are or have been admitted to PhD-studies may be appointed to doctoral studentships. When an appointment to a doctoral studentship is made, the ability of the student to benefit from PhD-studies shall primarily be taken into account. In addition to devoting themselves to their studies, those appointed to doctoral studentships may be required to work with educational tasks, research and administration, in accordance with specific regulations in the ordinance.

Instructions for the application
The application must contain a personal letter describing how you fulfill the desired qualifications, a CV and a diploma.

Type of employment
Fixed-term employment, four years, in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 5 Section 7.