Doktorander/Utbildningsplatser

Doktorander/Utbildningsplatser
med placering vid Sahlgrenska akademin

Sista ansökningsdag: 2010-04-20

Sahlgrenska akademin utlyser doktorandplatser med placering vid institutionen för medicin.

Doktorandplatserna avser två års utbildningsbidrag och två års doktorandanställning, alternativt fyra års doktorandanställning, och beräknas leda fram till doktorsexamen.

För mer information och ansökningsblankett se:
http://www.sahlgrenska.gu.se/doktorandportalen/Doktor_Fran_start_till_mal/doktorandplatser


Institute of Medicine
Colonic barrier function in ulcerative colitis - interactions between mucus and electrolyte secretions

Application deadline: 2010-04-20

Description of the research project
Ulcerative colitis is a relatively common inflammatory disorder of the colonic mucosa.The mechanisms behind the disease are not well understood, but there is strong evidence that it is due to defective barrier function in the colon leading to interactions between luminal bacteria and the immune system.The barrier function consists of several components: an outer loose mucus layer, an inner adherent mucus layer, epithelial fluid and electrolyte secretion, and the physical barrier of the epithelium itself, with cells and cell connections.Recent understanding of the organisation of the mucus layer suggest that especially the inner dense mucus layer as important for keeping bacteria at a distance.These studies were done on mouse, but to expand to humans we have developed methods for measuring the function of the barrier in human colonic biopsies mounted in special recording chambers.Mucus layer thickness is measured under the dissection microscope, epithelial secretion as reflected by ion currents, and the epithelial barrier by square wave current analysis.We will analyse the processing and glycosylation of the MUC2 mucin and other components in the two mucus layers by mass spectrometry.We then compare the functions of these different layers in healthy controls, patients with inactive disease and active disease, and analyse underlying mechanisms using different animal models.With this combined expertise, we have a world unique methodological arsenal to understand the complex interactions between these systems in the common inflammatory disorder ulcerative colitis.

Desired background
Appropriate background could be a degree in biochemistry, molecular biology or biotechnology with experience in the animal experiments, electrophysiology, as well as in genetic and transcriptomic studies.