Doktorander/Utbildningsplatser

Doktorander/Utbildningsplatser
med placering vid Sahlgrenska akademin

Sista ansökningsdag: 2010-04-20

Sahlgrenska akademin utlyser doktorandplatser med placering vid institutionen för biomedicin, institutionen för kliniska vetenskaper, institutionen för medicin och institutionen för neurovetenskap och fysiologi.

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

Replication of hepatitis B virus in vivo and in vitro importance for clinical course of infection and treatment response
Application deadline: 2010-04-20

Description of the research project
Chronic hepatitis B virus infection is a global health problem and is usually acquired in childhood and remains active the whole life.An protracted but inefficient immune activation may cause necroinflammation of the liver, which may lead to cirrhosis and cancer.Treatment with interferon or nucleoside analogues is given to patients with signs of an unfavourable course in order to prevent these complications.The risk for complications is influenced by both viral factors such as genotype and mutations, and by host factors that influence the immune response.It is often difficult to identify patients who need treatment and to predict the response to treatment.

A high risk for progressive liver damage is found in patients with active infection after the age of 30-40 years, and the most important marker for such risk is the level of HBV DNA in the blood.Recently quantification of the episomal form of HBV DNA (cccDNA) in liver biopsies and of HBsAg in blood has been identified as important additional markers for both the clinical course of infection and response to treatment.

In the proposed project we plan to investigate the importance of these factors (HBV DNA and HBsAg levels in blood and cccDNA levels in liver tissue) for the prognosis and treatment response.Moreover, we will investigate levels of viral mRNA species and cytokine mRNA in liver tissue, as well as host gene polymorphism.The aims of the project is to develop assays for liver tissue investigations, to learn about the virus-host interplay and to identify how new viral markers in tissue and blood can be used for predicting the clinical course of infection and for directing treatment for chronic hepatitis B.

Desired background
It is desirable that the candidate has knowledge about molecular methods and practical experience in laboratory work, in particular molecular biology techniques.Interest in infectious diseases and virology is important.Experience from working with molecular biology softwares is valuable.